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Two Button Mice?

1 button mice are, IMO, worthless. 2 button mice w/a clickable scroll wheel should be a bare minimum. I have an M$ optical Intellimouse that has 4 buttons, plus a clickable scroll wheel, and I'll never go back to a "PC standard" 2 button mouse w/wheel. And yes, I use all 5 "buttons" every freakin' day (great for surfing). When I get my G4 there is a nice wireless, 4 button (if you include the clickable wheel) Logitech that has my name on it. Keeping a "tradition" because it is still useful is one thing, keeping a tradition because it's tradition is dumb.


Lethal
 
man screw all of that!

buttons? we don't need no stinking buttons! :eek:

and come on! a 5 button mouse? is it really that necessary to have all that? I mean...u click and move....click and drag.....drag and click....

I've been completely satisfied with the traditional 1 button mouse...and if they do start shipping with 2 button mice.....I'll have to snatch up whatever I can from eBay so I can have them for the future... :p
 
One button, two button... I don't really care. BUT, how in the world do you all survive without the scrollwheel ?!?!?! The scrollwheel makes everything I do soooo much faster. I couldn't live without it. Unfortunately that means I don't use the beautiful apple pro mouse that came with my computer. If only it had a scrollwheel...
 
Scroll wheels are a must these days. They save you lots of mouse movement. For me the second mouse button is convenient, but not necessary. I don't see how you would be able to do a scroll wheel with the Apple Pro mouse though.
 
Mywar2000 that's EXACTLY what I was going to say as I'm sitting here NOT moving my mouse but just scrolling down the page. Number of buttons aside, if any of you use a scroll wheel for about a week, you'll never go back, it's sooo convenient.

While the second button is convenient, it's not nearly as cool as having the scroll wheel. Under OS 9, I had a program called Finderpop which basically just emulated a control-click (or right-click) by just clicking and holding with the one mouse button, does anyone know of anything like that for os X? If I had that feature back AND a scroll wheel on Apple's beautiful optical mouse, it would kick ass. Although more buttons are always nice.

One reason I think Apple should adopt multiple button mice is for their laptops. My friend just got a new HP laptop, it has that silly joystick thing in the keyboard AND a trackpad AND 2 buttons both above and below the trackpad AND a scrollbutton thing that works the same a scrollbar. It's really not that convenient to hold down the control key on a laptop. And what is that HP laptop user going to think when they look at an iBook (which I guess could keep the 1 button) or even Apple's prize TiBook and sees ONE stinkin' button?!

I never knew there was all this support for keeping one button mice, I guess they are great in schools and for keeping things simple, I didn't mind having one for years, but now I've fallen in love with the scroll wheel. It would be awesome if Apple gave the OPTION of a two-button APPLE mouse though on their new computers WITH a scroll-wheel. Not keeping with tradition?, Apple's tradition is innovation, coming out with new things, LEADING the market, not lagging behind.

And whoever was complaining about 5 button mice? If you've ever had not only the scroll wheel, but forward and back buttons and whatever other features you can assign to them right at your fingertips, it's awesome, and that's just for web browsing. You can assign them to things like Cont-Opt-Alt-Space click or somethingl ike that for use with Photoshop.

Sorry, that was kinda long, I'm supposed to be studying for an accounting exam, and this is more fun :)
 
My Opinions...

I'd have to side with Jef Raskin on this one (particularly having read one of his books, The Humane Interface). Typical Windows users don't even know what the right mouse button is. "Right click? I should click on the ride side of the screen?" Most people don't even have a use for it either - everything that can be done in a right/control-click contextual menu can be done some other way. Giving people too many options for doing the same thing can be unncessarily confusing. There's nothing wrong with this, that's just how it is for the more casual computer user.

I think the same applies to the scroll wheel. A lot of more typical computer users I've known wouldn't even use the scroll wheel on their mouse.

But of course, there are the rest of us... Heck, I'd buy a mouse with a second button and a scroll wheel, but I like my Apple Pro Mouse too much. :) I could actually see Apple including a more advanced mouse with future G4 Towers... perhaps even just as an option? I would be amazed, though (and even concerned) if Apple included a two-button mouse with all their computers. Apple is about simplicity and elegance, and to most users a two-button mouse is unncecessarily complex and awkward.
 
I have a great idea!

An Apple keyboard has two USB ports, right? And we only use one of them, most of the time, right?

So... let's plug in TWO Apple Mice! The right one (the regular one) offers the "left clicks" (to make things a tiny bit more complicated) and the left one offers the "right clicks" and the contextual menus.

Groooovy!
 
2 button mouse

If u play games like me u have to have a two button mouse. It would be great to have a two button Apple mouse, but if it does not have a scroll wheel that would be a huge mistake. There ar some Dells in our school that don't have scroll wheels and it is so annoying!
 
scrollwheels...

I've used them....and personally just don't like the feel of it....

I mean is it really that hard to click and drag to get a page to move up & down? u can even use the arrow keys for some instanced (internet for example)...

feeling kinda frisky today....so hope I don't get flamed too much! :p
 
I don't get why people are getting so heated about this 'rumour' - which still has no evidence as yet.

Even if they do release a two button mouse with a scroll wheel, all you hard core one button old school crowd only need to use the left button. Or hang on to your old mouse.

IMO a 2-button mouse with a scroll wheel is the way forward. F**k tradition. If you want stay in the past get a Mac Classic with the old brick like ADB mouse and do it right.

Cheerio.
 
Originally posted by MikeH
I don't get why people are getting so heated about this 'rumour' - which still has no evidence as yet.

Even if they do release a two button mouse with a scroll wheel, all you hard core one button old school crowd only need to use the left button. Or hang on to your old mouse.

IMO a 2-button mouse with a scroll wheel is the way forward. F**k tradition. If you want stay in the past get a Mac Classic with the old brick like ADB mouse and do it right.

Cheerio.
Click to expand...

well u have a valid point on this whole issue at the begining of your words...."still has no evidence as yet"...

wanting to keep with what works isn't staying in the past my friend...it's called "if it ain't broke don't fix it!"

and honestly....a Mac Classis with the old brick like ADB mouse.....that's just plain ridiculous to even make a comparison....
 
Sure the single button "ain't broke" but it's not as efficient as a two buttons and scroll wheel.

What I'm getting at is the attitude that just because Windows people (or whoever) had somthing before Mac users doesn't mean it's not worth having and should be dimissed out of hand.

If it's worth having, get it or adapt it, and don't get all wound up because Apple didn't do it first. (or should that be Xerox).

The bit about the Mac Classic was just a bit of sarcasm by the way.
 
Ha!

Hey Fellow Dorks,

I love reading these comment sections... we get so fired up about the lamest issues. I mean, people actually verbally assault people over the number of buttons their mouse has or should or shouldn't. Interesting...

Does it not seem a bit silly? Maybe it's me... must be.

"One button rules!"
"Two buttons rule!!"
"Let's hear it for scroll wheels!!!"

Rock on Mac dorks. =)
 
I've gotten use to one button (mostly)

As a PC convert who purchased an iBook last summer, I've found that the one mouse button thing isn't such a big issue. The Dock supports click & hold, and I can Ctrl-click with one hand. The arrows are also close enough to scroll with. I can't imagine the clutter of the HP laptop mentioned above - 4 buttons, a scrolly wheel thing and 2 pointing devices. With the iBook I can reach down without looking and either click/tap with the same affect.

Now that I think about, I also recall new users wondering which button to push when in Windows. It's the good old less-is-more. Granted, I may use context-menus more with a dedicated right-clicker - which is a kind of nice way to do things vs. going up to the menus.

Gaming is where I use an external Logitech mouse. With Apple promoting gaming more, I think it makes sense to at least offer the build-to-order option of a two button mouse, whether or not Apple makes it or not. Everyone I know also figures the new iMac should have the option of coming with a Logitech Wireless Desktop-like setup, but with a proper Mac keyboard and Apple styling.

Also, having the BTO option of a 2 button mouse should encourage software developers to use that 2nd button more - plenty of Mac apps don't use context-sensitive menus as much as they could.

I have a mini-rant about the current state of Mac OS X software. Internet Explorer zooms under the dock. Preview doesn't support scrolling with the arrows. AppleWorks open recent is in the wrong place and is alphabetical and not so-much the recent documents. Going between BBEdit, Eudora, Project Builder and AppleWorks - they all treat Home, End, Option-left, Option-right, etc. differently - the CUA standard in Windows is nice. Apple has its own UI guidelines, but it doesn't seem like even they follow them. I think those sort of issues are much more important than whether my mouse has one or two buttons.

- n8
 
scrollwheels

Apple designed their one button mouse in the 80's, think about how much has changed since then.

The scroll wheel became a welcome option for browsing and moving up and down pages, mostly for the internet, which really didn't exist in early 80 as it does today.

So what's wrong changing with the times. Its more than just a philosophical issue at stake here.
 
ok....getting off my box here...

make it an option (like it is now) and those who want them can have them....

there will very well be many of us who would want to throw a 2 button out the window....
 
Re: why?

Originally posted by dukestreet
Why would Apple go and change their whole one button concept?

If you want more than one button, go out and get another USB mouse with more buttons - its not that expensive.

I use a wacom tablet with a 4 button mouse (but I only really use 2) I bought the intuos for the tablet features, not the extra mouse buttons.
Click to expand...

only a true mac fiend would ask "why?" instead of "why not?" :rolleyes:
 
Re: NO

Originally posted by GeeYouEye


Erm.. No. Trackballs, for all their ergonomy (is that a word?) suck. You can't use them after eating without washing your hands cause if you do, it's weekly or worse cleaning. This is why the trackpad is about the best form of control I can think of.
Click to expand...

Get real! I've used a Macally optical trackball for several months and have not had to clean it once.. I was talking OPTICAL here, not rollers.

Trackpads? Trackpads are the most annoying control ever invented (slow! inaccurate!) .. why do you think many laptop users (such as myself) abandon use of their trackpad and cart around a small USB mouse?
 
Re: man screw all of that!

Originally posted by eyelikeart
a 5 button mouse? is it really that necessary to have all that? I mean...u click and move....click and drag.....drag and click....
Click to expand...

Necesary? No. Incredibly useful? Yes. :) Let me explain:
L and R buttons do their standard thing.
Scroll Wheel, well it scrolls and when clicked it "slides" (for lack up a better term). For example, by clicking the scroll wheel I can either creep or zip up/down a page by barely moving the mouse forward or back. Much easier than scrolling "long distances." I can zip from the top to the bottom of Page 1 of this thread in a second or less.
Thumb button, is my "back" browser button.
Pinkie button, is my "forward" browser button.

Do I really *need* 5 buttons? No. But it is really nice to have, IMO. :D


Lethal
 
I don't even know why Apple hasn't released a 2 button mouse yet at all.

May be it's some kind of being different from PCs ... but that's stupid.

Using the control-key all the time drives me crazy. The Logitec mouse I'm using with my PC has even a weel for scrolling. If you get used to it you won't miss it anymore...
 
i'm in with the consensus

i can't sit by and read all this crap about tradition.
you guys that spit in the face of 2button + scroll mice are sounding as much like luddites as computer users can.

the one button mouse was fantastic when it first arrived. i first learned to use a computer back in 1986 with a 128k mac. i don't sit around going "gee i wish they had 2 buttons and a scroll wheel back then!" but contextual menus and the scroll wheel are brilliant.

hey PC manufacturers, MS etc don't get it all wrong guys. the 2button + scroll is perfect for some people, don't poo on them for using something that works.

lighten up. this is supposed to be a rumours site not an evengelists get together. (is it?)

out
 
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