Apple mouse and mouse mats

[wowser]

I'm using the bog standard optical mouse that came with my eMac. I used to use it without a mouse mat, thinking there would be no need for one (optical and what have you...) Anyways, i just found the build up of grime and dust etc to cause the mouse to scratch about, rather than smoothly glide accross the desk. The desk is a laminated wooden type affair, and i keep everything very clean. I have never seen any other mac users using mouse mats, but i wonder how they cope with all the build up of crap under the mouse. Even if it looks perfectly clean (and the dek is wiped down) it can still be scratchy. Is it just me who is affected?

 

[Rod Rod]

My friend who got me interested in using Macs didn't use a mousepad either. He had a sawtooth or digital audio PM G4 and his was a black Apple Pro Mouse.

Anyhow, since I got my first Mac desktop, I found it easier to use a mousepad because that white plastic ring on the bottom of the Apple Mouse can get a little messed up even on a clean table.

The mouse will function fine without a mousepad (as long as the mousing surface is nonreflective), but it'll last longer with a mousepad.

 

[wPod]

i use a mouse pad. . . at least now i do. i had a similar laminated wood desk (where the wood grain in a giant sticker stuck to compressed wood fiber) well anyway i used that through two years of highschool and two years of college with a logitec optical mouse (no pad) and well, i wore through the sticker! the dust and such actually wore away at the sticker so now you see the compressed wood fiber! there was nothing wrong with the mouse, it had always worked fine, but the desk didnt survive so well. i even cleaned the desk on a regular basis and cleand the bottom of the mouse (first wiped it off then took a knife to the 'dust gunk' that would build up in small places) so now with a different desk i use a mouse pad b/c i do not want to destroy the desk! (it came with my furnished apt so i would probably get charged money if i left a worn mouse spot on it!)

so yeah, i dont think a mouse pad will stop the mouse from getting dirty, but you will at least be able to toss it out and get a new one when it gets worn instead of tossing out a desk!

 

[russed]

i generally tend to use a mousemat, otherwise i use a pad of paper if one is lying around. i also foudn that my mouse got "scratchy" and it was quite annoying!

 

[wowser]

I see. I care more about the mouse than the desk - the desk is just some awful thing the uni provided hehe. I am using this awful, Budweiser mouse mat at the mo (remember those lizards?) It's very nice to use, but is kinda tacky ! Anyone know of a nicer fabric based mouse mat?