Configuring LIRC with a Windows Media Center Remote to work at Linux is easy and if you like seeing movies while you are at bed is just awesome, here an easy setup (ripped from mine old blog )

sudo apt-get install lirc lirc-modules-source module-assistant

Now on configuration

Windows Media Center Transceivers/Remotes (all) -> None -> DONE!

To test out the controller, is

irw

while doing this, click the keys in your controller and they will appear if it was detected correctly. Here, all were detected.

If you want to make it work with KDE and KDE apps,

apt-get install kdelirc

And configure the keys in System Settings.