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What's The Point of a Mouse Pad?
- Thread starter SamIchi
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1. For ball mice, a traditional textured mousepad provides grip.
2. There are special metallic mouse pads to ensure a smooth reading for optical mice.
3. They have become a novelty (much like screen savers).
4. Some have wrist rests that actually fell pretty good if you use a mouse for a long time.
2. There are special metallic mouse pads to ensure a smooth reading for optical mice.
3. They have become a novelty (much like screen savers).
4. Some have wrist rests that actually fell pretty good if you use a mouse for a long time.
To add to what grapes said, when you use an optical mouse on wood grain optical mouses can "jump" a mouse mat stops that from happening.
i don't use a mousepad with my mighty mouse but now i wish i did cause over time it scrapes off the top of my wooden desk and now it looks ugly 
They make for much smoother mousing... for example a lot of the time I use the arm of my couch for my mousing surface, and a lot of the time the mouse would get caught up on it. With a mouse pad it's mucheasier to movie the mouse.
To keep laser mice in smooth motion, cotton pads mind you, not those foul plastic ones. Suppose the most un-obvious one is to prevent desk scratching too.
I'm still using a mouse pad I got with my PC in 1995 It's a monkey with a to-do list. *shrugs* bit of discolouration through the decade and a bit but it's still perfect.
I'm still using a mouse pad I got with my PC in 1995
It's a monkey with a to-do list. *shrugs* bit of discolouration through the decade and a bit but it's still perfect.
Benjamindaines said:
Absolutely. There are plenty of threads in the forums around here which say 'my mouse is jumping - it's broken'. The solution is usually get a mousemat.
Mac OS X was created with the intent for it to be used with a mouse. It is almost impossible to use a Mac and not use a mouse.greatdevourer said:
i haven't used one since i got my MX1000, but i will admit that i do miss the wrist pad a bit, maybe i'll pick one up sometime. if i remember.
I have a glass desk, so my laser mouse does not work w/o one.
Awhile ago I had a optical mouse which I used on a wood table w/o a mouse pad. It was good at first but then the little pads on the bottom got scraped up from the wood surface and using the mouse felt like you were dragging it across sandpaper. Also , even with a regular mouse pad it feels more comfortable then having the bottom of your hand rest on the hard table.
Awhile ago I had a optical mouse which I used on a wood table w/o a mouse pad. It was good at first but then the little pads on the bottom got scraped up from the wood surface and using the mouse felt like you were dragging it across sandpaper. Also , even with a regular mouse pad it feels more comfortable then having the bottom of your hand rest on the hard table.
blaskillet4 said:
I live in glass house. Please don't throw stones.
And I love having a mousepad. I don't think my optical mouse works as well without a pad on ANY surface. Mouse pads also make things a lot quieter. I have a "spongy" one.
EDIT: Oh man, what a weird time to find out that my mouse doesn't even WORK on my plain white desk with a cheap wooden top. I guess I never even had a choice.
I have an ultra thin thing which is basically a piece of plastic with a texture on. It's supposed to be excellent for optical mice. All I know is that it's better than just using my table-top.
In my office the desk isn't so bad and optical mice work just fine, but I still use a thin plastic-topped mousepad.
I find the material-topped mousepads are awful with opical mice.
In my office the desk isn't so bad and optical mice work just fine, but I still use a thin plastic-topped mousepad.
I find the material-topped mousepads are awful with opical mice.
Like several people who have posted, I've got a glass desk. Tried it without a mousepad, didn't work.
However, I'm mousepad-free on my wooden desk at work.
However, I'm mousepad-free on my wooden desk at work.
I use a mousepad on my desk because I don't want to scratch up my nice faux-wood finish on my Ikea desk. I guess I just prefer the feel of a mouse pad to a plain hard surface.
I guess I just prefer the feel of a mouse pad to a plain hard surface.