How to right-click in MAC OS X

[FuzzyBallz]

The perfect mouse for the multi-button challenged crowd.

Designed for two to six year olds with a range of cognitive and physical abilities, EasyBall makes screen navigation fun and easy. Its stationary design means kids don't have to reposition the mouse when they run out of desk space, and its whimsical fried egg look and bright primary colors are inviting. EasyBall separates the act of pressing one large, easy-to-locate button from that of rolling the ball, helping kids to avoid accidentally moving the cursor.

 

[slughead]

Get a 4 button mouse like a mouseman dual optical. I love mine: Command click, right click, left click, option click, scroll wheel. all on the same mouse.

Hi mac enthusiasts, I recentely migrated to the mac wold and am having a heck of a hard time to aclimatize. The most bothersome and hard thing to figure out is "How to right click in mack"? I do not know how to drag items ot to open additional commands on an object without the right click button.
I play yahoo 'Pool" games in my old PC laptops, but can't using macs. I cannot shoot the que stick , since in PC you must right-click and drag, then release. Ive looked everywhere to find an answer to this incognita, but no luck. Can anyone of you help in this matter??
Also, doc documents are a pain in MAC. the MS office X that came in my laptop is only ficticious, it works for a few days where you cannot even print, then is shuts down and tells you if you want to use it you must pay 599 dls.
This sucks, since the only software that works is Apple's WORKS, and itdoes not fully support MS word docs. They look distorted and changed when opening with this software.
I am really frustrated. Any suggestions...
"The mac world is really complicated....!
Mazinger4

 

[Josh]

When I had my mac, I used a 3 button mous (2 buttons, + scroll wheel that could be clicked).

The right click = ctrl click and I used clicking the wheel for expose. It was sweet.

 

[jsalzer]

Isn't that the white thing across the top?

As the originator of the thread deftly proved unless you KNOW about the keyboard shortcut you will never know that OS X has context sensitive menus.

On a Mac, isn't the contextual menu that big white thing that goes across the top of the screen? Isn't the lack of a proper menu bar that correctly changes to address the current situation the reason MS had to start creating right-clickable contextual menus? And isn't the fact that Windows was so poorly designed as to require users to use separate contextual menus the reason PC users were *forced* to start using 2-button mice?

It isn't evolution driven by consumer wants if consumers had no choice based on the design of their OS.

That said - back to the original question - I'm sure that if you look at the original web page or box at "included software", you'll see that it is clearly listed that MS Office is a trial version on the computer you purchased. It's not Apple trying to pull a bait and switch - they generally don't operate that way. One of the many reasons we love them so much.

 

[zelmo]

When I first started using a computer, I was always taking my right hand off of the keyboard to use the mouse, navigating through the menu commands in that manner. As I become more adept with software and the OS, I find myself taking my hand off of the keyboard less and less, relying more on shortcuts to acccess menu's and features I would have used the mouse for previously. Using the mouse now slows me down more than using keyboard shortcuts.
Isn't the Mac OS designed stipulating the placement of common menu commands, so that operators can switch between applications and still be able to navigate through layers of sub-menu's without having to learn new commands for each app? And isn't this something that Windows does not regulate?
I think I remember reading somewhere and somewhen that this is basically why Apple fights the current for a 2-button mouse.

If I were more sarcastic, I'd suggest that those of you who are simply unable to adapt to a clearly superior form of computing ought to just go buy a 23-button mouse.

 

[decksnap]

Isn't the lack of a proper menu bar that correctly changes to address the current situation the reason MS had to start creating right-clickable contextual menus? And isn't the fact that Windows was so poorly designed as to require users to use separate contextual menus the reason PC users were *forced* to start using 2-button mice?

Bingo!!

And on a Mac, everything in the 'proper menu bar' is accessible through key commands- which are a lot faster, if you know them, then contextual menus.

 

[SiliconAddict]

On a Mac, isn't the contextual menu that big white thing that goes across the top of the screen?

You obviously haven't used Windows in a long...if ever...time. The menu that Apple has at the top of the screen is no diff from the one that MS has on the top of any various application. The difference is that Apple attached their menu to the top of the screen and provided floating windows for the various apps. This allows more screen real-estate by not having to take up that much more space with a menu for each window.
MS Windows menus are physically attached to each Windows, with a few notable exceptions. Neither of these menus, be it Apple or MS, are context menus since their contents does not change. They always stay the same no matter where in the application you are. This is a good thing due to the fact that it "grounds" all of the core functions of an application in one place.

Isn't the lack of a proper menu bar that correctly changes to address the current situation the reason MS

Nope.
The use of a right click, contextual menu that is based on where your pointer is speeds up the process of commonly used commands around an OS. Consider on a high res screen. Instead of moving the cursor around the screen to the menu to change something in the window you can typically, depending on the skills of the developer, gain access much faster to the most commonly used commands. These features are further enhanced by having shortcut keys in the app and OS that allows even faster manipulation of whatever app you are in.
And if contextual menus are so bad why is Apple starting to fully integrate them into their OS?

 

[SiliconAddict]

Bingo!!

And on a Mac, everything in the 'proper menu bar' is accessible through key commands- which are a lot faster, if you know them, then contextual menus.

In which case lets all move back to a command prompt. K? Key commands are a further superset of tools that allow greater manipulation of the OS and or application in a timely manner. They are useful but the fact of the matter remains that they are for power users. Would you actually expect a user to learn every shortcut key in an OS the day they get their new computer? So much for OS X being simple no? A context menu is simply an extension of the GUI. Instead of needing to wade through drop down menus you have, again typically depending on the software developer, the most commonly used functions on click of the mouse away from you.
Guys we aren't talking anything overly complex here. You are simply making excuses for Apple's bizarre reasoning behind sticking with a single button mouse.
I mean why don't we take it one step further. Lets get rid of the mouse buttons all together and have left click be the ctrl and right click be the alt button. because fallowing Apple's logic the more buttons on the mouse the more confused the user is. So lets take them all away and put the clicking of the mouse on the keyboard and the movement of the mouse on the external device. Why we would ever want to keep all the functionality of the mouse on the device is beyond me.

 

[benbondu]

for casual web surfing, nothing beats a 2-button mouse with right-click gestures for back/forward/open new tab/etc. you don't need to touch the keyboard at all.

 

[decksnap]

In which case lets all move back to a command prompt. K? Key commands are a further superset of tools that allow greater manipulation of the OS and or application in a timely manner. They are useful but the fact of the matter remains that they are for power users. Would you actually expect a user to learn every shortcut key in an OS the day they get their new computer? So much for OS X being simple no? A context menu is simply an extension of the GUI. Instead of needing to wade through drop down menus you have, again typically depending on the software developer, the most commonly used functions on click of the mouse away from you.
Guys we aren't talking anything overly complex here. You are simply making excuses for Apple's bizarre reasoning behind sticking with a single button mouse.
I mean why don't we take it one step further. Lets get rid of the mouse buttons all together and have left click be the ctrl and right click be the alt button. because fallowing Apple's logic the more buttons on the mouse the more confused the user is. So lets take them all away and put the clicking of the mouse on the keyboard and the movement of the mouse on the external device. Why we would ever want to keep all the functionality of the mouse on the device is beyond me.

Yeah, good point, because photoshop would be so much easier to use through the command prompt! So then its true that a single button mouse and key commands is best for power users, and a single button mouse is simplest and easiest for novice users. Hmmmm. Makes sense to me.

 

[jazzmfk]

Two things, not at all related to the topic at hand (pun intended):

1) When used in conjuction with a mouse, the Griffin PowerMate is just the coolest thing. I have one to the left of my keyboard, set to scroll in Safari. It's way easier than using the scroll bars and way more comfortable on my hand than using one of those little tiny scroll wheels on a mouse.

2) I'm forced to use a Windows box at work (school). As a lifetime Mac user who actually started on a Mac (well, there was that ancient Texas Instruments something or other attached to the TV for awhile, but we'll just chalk that up to the folly of youth.......), I just can't deal with the second button. I've also seen elementary kids get confused the concept of "left clicking" with their right hand on the right side of the computer.

It seems to me that the programs that really "need" a multiple button mouse do seem to suffer from some illogical or non-intuitive UI problems. (Sibelius comes immediately to mind. Still better than Finale, though...)

Just my $.02. Haven't donated in a while....


MFK

 

[jsalzer]

Overstating to Make the Point

You obviously haven't used Windows in a long...if ever...time. The menu that Apple has at the top of the screen...

Actually, I'm typing now on a Mac that has a Gateway on WinXP to its left and a Dell with Win98 to its right. People laugh at me for needing 3 computers at work, but I actually tend to keep all 3 busy!

My statements were overexaggerations (sp?) to make the point. I know what contextual menus are - I just don't think they're needed in an OS with a good UI. Even if Apple has started to disagree.

 

[PlaceofDis]

is there any way to access the top menu through the keyboard? this would save me a lot of time.....

 

[FuzzyBallz]

is there any way to access the top menu through the keyboard? this would save me a lot of time.....

Maybe, maybe not.

 

[PlaceofDis]

Maybe, maybe not.

thanks for that Fuzz, i figured it out in sys prefs

 

[slughead]

is there any way to access the top menu through the keyboard? this would save me a lot of time.....

turn on universal access by hitting Ctrl+F1

then hit Ctrl+F2

I got that from the page PlaceofDis posted. Thanks PlaceofDis!

 

[wrldwzrd89]

for casual web surfing, nothing beats a 2-button mouse with right-click gestures for back/forward/open new tab/etc. you don't need to touch the keyboard at all.

Oh yeah? What if you're using Safari or some other browser that doesn't understand mouse gestures? What are we supposed to do then? By the way, mouse gestures aren't really my thing - I've never used them in ANY application on ANY platform.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Oh yeah? What if you're using Safari or some other browser that doesn't understand mouse gestures? What are we supposed to do then? By the way, mouse gestures aren't really my thing - I've never used them in ANY application on ANY platform.

And that makes them any less valid?

 

[benbondu]

Oh yeah? What if you're using Safari or some other browser that doesn't understand mouse gestures? What are we supposed to do then? By the way, mouse gestures aren't really my thing - I've never used them in ANY application on ANY platform.

Cocoa Gestures adds mouse gestures to any Cocoa program such as Mail, Address Book, iCal, TextEdit, Safari, and so on....
It's free.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Cocoa Gestures adds mouse gestures to any Cocoa program such as Mail, Address Book, iCal, TextEdit, Safari, and so on....
It's free.

That's neat - didn't know that was possible. Thanks benbondu!

SiliconAddict - no it doesn't make them less valid - it just means that not all of us use mouse gestures or enabling applications like the one benbondu posted a link to.

 

[FunkyPurple]

to right click hold the control button and click

Never had any trouble before but this is the best tip I've heard all day. Thanks for that one.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Yeah, good point, because photoshop would be so much easier to use through the command prompt!

So then its true that a single button mouse and key commands is best for power users, and a single button mouse is simplest and easiest for novice users. Hmmmm. Makes sense to me.

*massive migraine* Like talking to lint. No. That isn't the point, which you are missing entirely. The point is that the those are tools are supersets that are available NOW. You don't have to add anything to the computer to get them. Not only are they available NOW they are well marked in the various menus. Again going back to the original poster if things are so easy on the Mac then why does Apple need to hide some of its functionality.

I will make this very simple with one last post.

Everyone claims that the one button mouse is best. Tell me. What makes more sense? To keep all the functionality of the mouse on the device itself or to offload part of that functionality to the keyboard. I put forth the idea that it's the two-button mouse that is simpler. Simply because you KNOW without a doubt what the mouse's function is intended for. By offloading part of the functionality of the mouse onto the keyboard a user no longer knows about context sensitive menus.
(And like it or not context sensitive menus are here to stay folks. For the love of god go read one of the million papers on good GUI design people. Context sensitive menus and data are a core part of any OS design.) As I was saying. You are offloading the functionality of the mouse which anyone who can stay neutral in the Mac vs. PC thing should see that this is a bad thing. The keyboard basic function is to enter characters. (All the other gee wiz gosh darn cool functions like turning the vol up/down, ejecting the optical desk etc are beside the point. Its core function has ALWAYS been to input characters onto the screen. The mouse, stating the obvious, has always been to interact with the screen. By offloading that functionality you essentially split how the mouse works. You now not only need the mouse to interact with the screen you need the keyboard to fully utilize OS X's features.
Sorry folks but this is an Apple being a stubborn PITA feature. This isn't about being easier. If Apple wanted to they could rollout a two button mouse with their next hardware shipments next year and bundle a 2 minute training session that runs when a person installs OS X: Tiger or first boots up their new Mac for the first time. Apple COULD do this if they wanted to. They just aren't because they want to be critically brain-dead different. Being different is good as long as you have a valid reason behind it. Being different for the sake of being different is behavior that deserves to be left back in grade school.
Unfortunately this behavior isn’t limited to Apple. This childish behavior easily extends to MS. A good example would be their Pocket PC platform. The X in the corner doesn't actually close an app. It merely places it at the bottom of the pile of open apps on the device. After a while this can impact on system performance even though theoretically the OS is suppose to close the least used app when the system runs low on memory. Note "in theory". The reality is that 3rd party software developers have stepped up to the plate to make addins that actually allow you to close the app from the title bar. So there is a work around but the reality is its simply MS being a stubborn ***.
Apple, MS both need to grow the **** up.

 

[decksnap]

Lint here- the whole basis of my argument is to stop people from saying a two button mouse is BETTER than a one button mouse, when it clearly is not. Perhaps a little bit of understanding and tolerance? You hear the 'Macs suck cuz they only have one button mice' crap flying around ALL the time. I personally feel that I can manipulate any program that I KNOW faster with a one button mouse and key commands than anyone with a 2, 3, or 76 button mouse. If you look at the list of commands that were posted, you'll see you'll never fit all of that functionality into the mouse in a useable way, so if you really want to get things done you'll be hitting up the key commands anyway. Where do you stop? Seven buttons, eight? perhaps we should move the volume and eject buttons to the mouse? Number keys and a Firewire port?

 

[slughead]

Lint here- the whole basis of my argument is to stop people from saying a two button mouse is BETTER than a one button mouse, when it clearly is not.

Clearly.

You're thinking that all multiple buttons are good for are contextual menus. This is wrong.

Option click can copy things and hide the front program while switching to a back one. It is also used in photoshop quite a bit.

Command click can do a vast multitude of things in the OS such as select specific files at a time, open links in a new tab (in safari).

And don't underestimate contextual menus either. What's faster when forcequitting a program, right clicking on its dock icon and selecting "force quit" or hitting commad+option+esc selecting it, clicking "force quit", and clicking "OK"?

Also, how are you supposed to enable check spelling as you type in text fields? Or did you know about that... right click on a text box sometime in safari (or firefox).. see what neat options you get.

AND WHAT ABOUT SCROLLING?

How many buttons do you need? well that's a surprisingly NON-arbitrary question: As many as is comfortable for you to use. Obviously two button mice is way over your head, and you should stick to 1.

As for me, the logitech mouseman dual optical (and, I think, the mx series) have a scroll wheel, right and left click, and a 4th button where your thumb goes which is just out of the way so you never accidently click it.

I have mine set up as follows:
Left button: regular click
Right button: right click (supported by OS X)
scroll wheel button: option click
4th (thumb) button: command click

unendingly useful. I could also see using one of those for expose, as that F11 key is real annoying (by touch I often hit the F12, though I'm not using Apple's compact keyboard either).

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Clearly.

You're thinking that all multiple buttons are good for are contextual menus. This is wrong.

Option click can copy things and hide the front program while switching to a back one. It is also used in photoshop quite a bit.

Command click can do a vast multitude of things in the OS such as select specific files at a time, open links in a new tab (in safari).

And don't underestimate contextual menus either. What's faster when forcequitting a program, right clicking on its dock icon and selecting "force quit" or hitting commad+option+esc selecting it, clicking "force quit", and clicking "OK"?

Also, how are you supposed to enable check spelling as you type in text fields? Or did you know about that... right click on a text box sometime in safari (or firefox).. see what neat options you get.

AND WHAT ABOUT SCROLLING?

How many buttons do you need? well that's a surprisingly NON-arbitrary question: As many as is comfortable for you to use. Obviously two button mice is way over your head, and you should stick to 1.

As for me, the logitech mouseman dual optical (and, I think, the mx series) have a scroll wheel, right and left click, and a 4th button where your thumb goes which is just out of the way so you never accidently click it.

I have mine set up as follows:
Left button: regular click
Right button: right click (supported by OS X)
scroll wheel button: option click
4th (thumb) button: command click

unendingly useful. I could also see using one of those for expose, as that F11 key is real annoying (by touch I often hit the F12, though I'm not using Apple's compact keyboard either).

I could see how using such a mouse would save time - but I've never found the need to use one with Mac OS X, nor have I ever used a mouse with more than two buttons and a clickable scroll wheel on any platform. I guess I'm used to using the keyboard for option-clicking and command-clicking things. If you suggest that I start using a multi-button mouse with my Mac, would you recommend any of these 4 places near me to get one?
1. The Apple Store (Online)
2. The Apple Store @ Legacy Village, Lyndhurst, OH
3. CompUSA @ Beachwood, OH
4. Micro Center @ Mayfield Heights, OH