Foot Controllers

[Jeff Shirkey <jcshirke@midway.uchicago.edu>]

Ok, so I'm in the process of finally getting my guitar rig together 
the way I want it. Hallelujah. For those who have been following 
along at home the last few days, I sprung for a Switchblade GL today. 
Many, many thanks for those who replied to all my queries regarding 
gear up to this point.

One more piece of gear to go, however. Foot Controllers. I'm a 
*total*, complete M-IDIOT and a newbie as far as foot controllers go. 
Truth is, I don't even know the difference between a regular foot 
controller (such as the MPX-R1 that runs the Lexicon MPX-G2 unit and, 
apparently, the G-Force as well) that is MIDI capable and a MIDI foot 
controller such as the FCB-1010.

My questions, then: Can anyone point my to a place where I can do my 
own reading (unless someone wants to waste a lot of cyber ink 
explaining it all to me) about how all this stuff, including MIDI, 
works, what it can do for me, and why/how I'd want to use it? Can one 
foot controller control all the gear I have (or soon will have)? If 
so, which FC(s) ought I be considering?

Again, lots of thanks in advance.

Jeff