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K-Funk

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 24, 2007
110
25
About a month ago, I bought a 6-year old PowerBook. Despite the ancient technology, I love it. I just have one complaint -- why is there no right-click feature for the trackpad?

I know you can hook up a 2-button mouse, and I know you can hold down "control" to simulate a right-click, but wouldn't it be easier if Apple just added a second button?

Can anyone explain why Mac laptops don't have a right-click? Is it just stubborness on Apple's part?
 

Aea

macrumors 6502a
May 23, 2007
838
208
Denver, Colorado
Put two fingers on the trackpad, click the button. It's so easy / convenient that I find myself trying to do this on windows laptops :D

You might need to enable one setting under the keyboard / mouse though :)
 

Sbrocket

macrumors 65816
Jun 3, 2007
1,250
0
/dev/null
The reason you don't have a right click is because you bought a 6-year old machine. The last few generations of Apple laptops have been able to right-click by clicking with two fingers on the trackpad, which many people have noticed is much easier and more efficient than having two separate trackpad buttons to click for primary and secondary clicking.

Or I could be wrong and you just need to enable 2-finger right-clicking in the Keyboard & Mouse > Trackpad system preferences panel. I haven't used an old PowerBook in a long time, not sure if the trackpads on them support the 2-finger right-click.
 

PlaceofDis

macrumors Core
Jan 6, 2004
19,241
6
and in reality, on a powerbook, using the trackpad, its not like control is far away.

and i don't know if its just me or what, but i rarely find the need to 'right click' in OS X. some apps need it and all that, but rare imo.
 

K-Funk

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 24, 2007
110
25
Interesting on the 2-finger thing.

Hope I didn't tick anyone off by calling Apple "stupid" -- I guess I just wanted to attract attention!
 

filmgirl

macrumors 6502
May 16, 2007
345
245
Seattle, WA
That's been what has taken the most to get used to (well that, and not being able to have a window/app go to full screen instantly in all cases - I had to install a script so that Safari would do it - THAT was just killing me) - I mean, I've been doing the two finger/click trick - and cool and all, I'm just SO used to using a right mouse button and if I happen to be typing text in a browser window and spellcheck flags it - it is NOT as easy to just fix on the fly as it would be if I had a right button on the trackpad.

I understand why they don't put it on their laptops - it was the Macs big signature thing for so long -- "one mouse button - two is unnecessary" but since OS X (and maybe before that - can't remember if they had two button support in 9 or not) the functionality of an alternate mouse button has been built into many more apps.
 

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
Check this thread and you'll see why they didn't include a right-click button.

I posted a picture of how I use my trackpad near the bottom of the thread and quite a few folk use it in a similar way.

My hand is resting naturally and due to the natural angle, I don't have any fingers to press the right-click button.

A one-click button is much better, and 2 finger tapping on the trackpad is so much easier than stretching a finger to hit the right-click button.
 

CrzyCanuck72

macrumors 6502a
Jun 10, 2003
913
0
two-fingered right-click is a much better solution that having dedicated left and right-click buttons. Not only does it look better aesthetically, but it actually makes right-clicking easier (at least for me). With dedicated buttons, you're forced to maintain one hand position on the track pad (in order to keep your thumb on the small left-click button). With only one button, you're free to roam all over the trackpad (which is a lot bigger than most PC laptops) while still being able to easily left or right click.

I think Apple laptops have great trackpads and buttons. I really find using most PC laptops to be uncomfortable because the trackpads and buttons are so small, and don't have the same tactile feedback as Mac laptops.
 

BlackMax

macrumors 6502a
Jan 14, 2007
901
0
North Carolina
Can anyone explain why Mac laptops don't have a right-click? Is it just stubborness on Apple's part?

Because there is no need. Two fingers on the trackpad gives you the alternate mouse button. It is so much easier.

Why would Apple go to something less efficient when it is everyone else who is missing the convenience of the two finger alternate mouse button?
 

squeeks

macrumors 68040
Jun 19, 2007
3,393
15
Florida
i agree, whenever i use a regular PC laptop i always try and right click, and two finger scroll, not just because im used to it, but because it is so much easier...

actually now im starting to even try and move my mouse to its hot corner to see all windows in XP..some for some reason it dont work:confused: :D
 

Smoothie

macrumors 6502a
Jun 23, 2007
781
544
California
One problem with two-finger taps to accomplish a right click is that scrolling with two fingers can sometimes be interpreted as a right click. This causes the context sensitive menu to open and you have to close it to continue scrolling.
 

squeeks

macrumors 68040
Jun 19, 2007
3,393
15
Florida
One problem with two-finger taps to accomplish a right click is that scrolling with two fingers can sometimes be interpreted as a right click. This causes the context sensitive menu to open and you have to close it to continue scrolling.

odd, ive NEVER had that problem,
 

calculus

Guest
Dec 12, 2005
4,504
5
One problem with two-finger taps to accomplish a right click is that scrolling with two fingers can sometimes be interpreted as a right click. This causes the context sensitive menu to open and you have to close it to continue scrolling.

Interesting, I've never had that happen.

I do however keep trying to do a two finger scroll on my rubbish work d**l laptop:D
 

gr8tfly

macrumors 603
Oct 29, 2006
5,333
99
~119W 34N
One problem with two-finger taps to accomplish a right click is that scrolling with two fingers can sometimes be interpreted as a right click. This causes the context sensitive menu to open and you have to close it to continue scrolling.

Never had it mistake two-finger scrolling for two-finger tap for right-click.
 

hayduke

macrumors 65816
Mar 8, 2005
1,177
2
is a state of mind.
Hmm...I have a PB G4 1.67GHz. I can two finger scroll, but I can't two-finger right-click. Is my machine too old? I wouldn't think so, but I can't find any mention of enabling this is the Trackpad preferences pane. Thoughts?
 

norcalstadium

macrumors member
Jun 4, 2007
80
0
just get a mouse

i bought a bluetooth "mighty mouse" for my 15.4'' 2.4 GHz mbp for like $50 and it has left and right click...
 

mick4394

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2006
554
0
Flyover country
Am I the only one who gets sick of these "no two button mouse sucks" threads?

It seems like these things pop up weekly and it's always the same complaints. If you're going to create a new thread, you could at least come up with a new twist on the issue.
 

Zel

macrumors regular
Jul 7, 2007
172
0
I thought it started as a software design decision! If there is no rightclick by default then software developers are forced to think critically about how to get all of the primary functionality into visible leftclick buttons.

Because Windows had rightclick, software devs relied on it and some tasks are completely hidden from the new user down in a context menu, causing frustration and confusion.

I'm not sure if this holds true in modern times, since they do support 'alternate click' now.
 

K-Funk

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 24, 2007
110
25
Am I the only one who gets sick of these "no two button mouse sucks" threads?

It seems like these things pop up weekly and it's always the same complaints. If you're going to create a new thread, you could at least come up with a new twist on the issue.

Sorry, I didn't see any other threads on it (although admittedly I didn't do an exhaustive search), so I don't know what would constitute a "new twist."
 

aaronw1986

macrumors 68030
Oct 31, 2006
2,622
10
One problem with two-finger taps to accomplish a right click is that scrolling with two fingers can sometimes be interpreted as a right click. This causes the context sensitive menu to open and you have to close it to continue scrolling.

Never had an issue.
 

Osprey

macrumors 6502
Jun 18, 2007
297
0
In a Galaxy Far, Far Away
What I find so odd is that I have used PCs forever and thought I would have a hard time switching. Actually, like of a lot of us, I work in both the Mac and the PC world. We only have PCs at work, so I have no choice there. But what I find much more irritating and absurd is that now I am always trying to scroll with one finger on the pad when I use a PC. And then I am always wondering why it isn't working. For me this is a great annoyance because I do it every single time without fail.:D
 

GFLPraxis

macrumors 604
Mar 17, 2004
7,152
460
About a month ago, I bought a 6-year old PowerBook. Despite the ancient technology, I love it. I just have one complaint -- why is there no right-click feature for the trackpad?

I know you can hook up a 2-button mouse, and I know you can hold down "control" to simulate a right-click, but wouldn't it be easier if Apple just added a second button?

Can anyone explain why Mac laptops don't have a right-click? Is it just stubborness on Apple's part?

Actually, it makes a measure of sense on a laptop. It's a lot easier on your thumb to have a single button to rest on.

You CAN right click though; check system preferences. You can set it to right click when you have two fingers on the trackpad.
 
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