See this: http://www.enricozini.org/2007/tips/linux-...foot-pedal.html
You can use the serial foot pedal with a usb to serial adapter. I've been using ES on Linux (under Wine) for over three years with serial VEC foot pedals (and ones that I've re-wired myself) without problems.
I have the USB VEC foot pedal working with the Linux version of Express Scribe but I can't get it working with the Wine version...I need to play DSS files so I think I'm stuck using the wine version.
My Linux is OpenSuse 10.2.
Any Ideas?