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A Windows feature I would like on my Mac.

stoid

stoid

macrumors 601
Original poster
In Windows, browsing the web, I can click the middle mouse button and just move the mouse up or down to scroll through long pages (like forum threads 😉). However, on my PowerBook, I have to risk carpel tunnel syndrome with my scroll wheel mouse. I really like the Windows solution 😱, is there any equivalent on Mac OS X?
 
Same End Result

Well, maybe it's not the same, but you can get the same end result by grabbing the "gel pack" on the scroll bar and then moving it downward with your mouse.

With Safari (and possibly others), you can also arrow down the page.

As for if there's anything in Windows I'd like to see adopted or adapted, I'll have to think about that one. Hmmmmm.
 
Shift+click and drag the mouse down

Unfortunately the cursor can't be over a link or graphic though.
 
7on said:
Shift+click and drag the mouse down

Unfortunately the cursor can't be over a link or graphic though.
Click to expand...

That doesn't work for me.... odd.
 
stoid said:
That doesn't work for me.... odd.
Click to expand...

Are you holding down shift as you drag? Safari?

Oh and it also will only scroll when your cursor leaves the browser window. Like you have to drag it all the way down below the status bar or above the bookmark bar.
 
Why not just use the arrow keys and give your mouse a break?

Just arrows lets you scroll up and down.
apple + arrows lets you jump up or down the page.
option + arrows lets you jump in quarters.

Personally I dislike relying on my mouse for every mundane task.

The shift + click does not work for me either.

<edit>
I see... shift click and drag... seems like a lot of work but good to know, thanks.
 
If you are using a USB mouse, you can use USB Overdrive to do this by setting up the middle button as Auto Scroll.

To clarify on 7on's suggestion, you need to move the mouse below the window's content for it to work. It also works with option or command instead of shift.
 
Ahhh, I remember this feature back in the day. I have never really thought about it now until you brought it up. Isn't it amazing that the only thing Windows came up with on their own has something to do with a scroll wheel? Hilarious! Anyway, good luck with this.
 
Slight thread drift....

I don't ever use a mouse with my PB. I do use uControl to make the trackpad "scrollable." Huh? I press "function," and then drag my finger up, down, or sideways on the trackpad, and the page scrolls in that direction.

Much faster than anything else I've seen, and it works for most apps that I use.

And, uh, I first saw this in Windows. Ssshhhh!
 
bubbamac said:
Slight thread drift....

I don't ever use a mouse with my PB. I do use uControl to make the trackpad "scrollable." Huh? I press "function," and then drag my finger up, down, or sideways on the trackpad, and the page scrolls in that direction.

Much faster than anything else I've seen, and it works for most apps that I use.

And, uh, I first saw this in Windows. Ssshhhh!
Click to expand...

Still not use to it but, I love what it does. Every powerBook owner needs to try it out.
 
If you're interested in making your touchpad more functional check out Sidetrack. It allows for scrolling and a host of other things. I've got control-click and expose configured as corner taps. It's aslo compatible with uControl (same developer I think) plus I'm pretty sure the developer is a member of Macrumors!
 
Yeah, Sidetrack is the same thing. 😉

7on said:
Oh and it also will only scroll when your cursor leaves the browser window. Like you have to drag it all the way down below the status bar or above the bookmark bar.
Click to expand...
You don't even need to hold the SHIFT key. I just click, hold, and drag my pointer below or above the internet window and that's all.

jsalzer said:
Well, maybe it's not the same, but you can get the same end result by grabbing the "gel pack" on the scroll bar and then moving it downward with your mouse.

With Safari (and possibly others), you can also arrow down the page.
Click to expand...
Very true with every web browser since the early 1990's, but I think that defeats the purpose of the question and the thread. 😉

I thought this missing autoscroll was quite weird as well. If it was implemented the same as in Windows, that would be quite nice.

And the one thing I want from Windows is actually due entirely to my hatred of it on my Mac, not that it's perfect on Windows either. We need to ditch the Finder. They tried to fix it in Panther, and its better now, but Windows Explorer is simpler to use. There are a few benefits of using Finder in terms of what file info they give you and how they do it, but otherwise, that's all. Finder is crap. Lots of people have said the same thing, but I just wanted to bring it up again. I don't love Windows Explorer, but I'd rather use Windows Explorer to find my files rather than Finder. 😱
 
Did Feel Strange

Abstract said:
Very true with every web browser since the early 1990's, but I think that defeats the purpose of the question and the thread. 😉
Click to expand...

I did kind of feel like I was answering with the obvious, but I guess I'm still shaky on what the real difference is (in practical terms). Either way, you're holding down your clicker and moving your mouse down or up. The scroll bar just seems so intuitive - why fight it?

Then again, I'd trust anything Steve tells me to do. 🙂
 
The MS IntelliMouse Optical I use does what you said in both WinXP and OSX. And no, I didn't install any driver for the mouse. I never install driver for my mice.
 
Abstract said:
I don't love Windows Explorer, but I'd rather use Windows Explorer to find my files rather than Finder. 😱
Click to expand...

Just so long as you don't have to search! 🙄 I've found searching for files in Windows Explorer to be 15 flavors of gawd-awful. I imagine after I use Spotlight next year, that I'm not even going to be able to do a Windows file search without kicking the machine or beating it with a crowbar!

jsalzer said:
Either way, you're holding down your clicker and moving your mouse down or up. The scroll bar just seems so intuitive - why fight it?
Click to expand...

With the method I asked about in the original post, You click, let go, and just move the mouse up and down to control the speed of the scrolling. No dragging, no holding.
 
you can probably use the software that came with your mouse to make the scroll wheel auto scroll. Works with the current intelipoint software that came with my microsoft mouse. Or you can use the software to make the wheel scroll faster so you don't have to do it hundreds of times.
 
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