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Will I miss my mouse?

B

Bioguy35

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 17, 2011
17
0
Hello everyone,

Considering the switch to mac after being a lifelong PCer. One feature I really like about my PC is the wheelmouse. I find it's great for scrolling (wheel) and selecting text (buttons). I was wondering if anyone who has made the switch could tell me if they had a hard time adjusting to the trackpad. I borrowed a friends macbook and was going through wheelmouse withdrawl after a few hours. I realize there is the magic mouse, but it doesn't have a wheel. Can I use a bluetooth wheelmouse? Will it be effective?

I'm considering a 13" MBP.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
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Yes, I'm using a wheel mouse right now. Scroll wheel moves the contents of windows up and down as you'd expect. When I'm using the trackpad- two finger swipe up and down to scroll.. and when I'm at a desk I use the mouse and the scroll wheel. I use Logitec and MacAlly mice with scroll wheels but also have a magic mouse connected to the iMac. they all work.
 
Thanks for the advice. I'm excited about getting a shiny new mac. But was afraid the trackpad learning curve would hurt my productivity and leave me frustrated.
 
Bioguy35 said:
Thanks for the advice. I'm excited about getting a shiny new mac. But was afraid the trackpad learning curve would hurt my productivity and leave me frustrated.
Click to expand...

It might for a few days, but stick with it. With the gestures (particularly in Lion) , I feel much more productive than I ever did with a mouse. The only time I miss it is if I'm trying to do something pixel perfect (e.g. artwork), but I just keep a USB mouse around for those times.
 
The magic mouse is very nice. Lets you scroll like with a wheel, still has the control of a mouse, but also has the multi finger gestures of a trackpad.

The trackpad is nice for a cluttered workspace, but if you have enough room for a mouse the magic mouse is a great way to go.
 
I don't use a mouse at all... I have a Magic Mouse but it's still in the iMac box... I use the Magic Trackpad and Marble Mouse to do more precise mouse movements.
 
Don't worry. Apple trackpads are second to none for "productivity". Learning all the gestures won't take that long. When you do, it will make you wonder what took you so long to get a mac.
 
I used to have a Dell Inspiron laptop and I would always use a mouse. In fact, I'd get mad at myself if I went somewhere with my laptop and forgot to bring the mouse. When I first got my Snow Leopard Macbook Pro in 2010, I still preferred to have a mouse most of the time, but I liked the trackpad enough to somewhat blur that preference. Now with Lion, I love the trackpad and resort to using a mouse only when I need extreme precision or rapid-clicking (like for games).

I recommend trying out the trackpad for a few weeks before getting a mouse. Learn the gestures, how to use Spaces and whatnot. For me, it became natural very quickly and I enjoyed the smoothness and sensitivity of the trackpad, and even navigate. Heck, it just felt right. Also, try natural scrolling out. I used to hate it, but then I tried it out for a few days and also got used to that very quickly. For me, it made scrolling feel more like how it made the trackpad feel like an extension of the screen, kind of like how touchscreen devices feel when you scroll on them.

Tl;dr: just give it a chance. :D
 
i've got snow leopard. i've always used a mouse with my netbook/laptop, but after getting the mbp i put the mouse away. the trackpad is a brilliant innovation, and (for me) it realizes the potential of the computer far more effectively than a mouse. i recommend trying it out.
 
Miss it? Why do you have to miss it?

If you like a mouse with a wheele-thingi-me-bob, just use one.

I have mouse and a track pad on my desk, what I use depends on what application I have open. Given they are both wireless, i can just pop them out of the way in a corner when they’re not in use.
 
you should give the trackpad a try, my productivity has gone up significantly, i have basically all commands in reach. i can type and swipe practically at the same time (using my thumbs) for quick navigation. as well as change pages, open close tabs and clear the screen or launch spaces (or whatever it is now) with a few finger gestures. My mouse is now only used for gaming or intensive image editing. I wish they could make the trackpad gaming capable that would be awesome.
 
I don't think you'll miss the mouse; I *LOVE* the Apple TrackPad, and this is coming from someone who is a heavy user of scroll wheels and right-clicks!

After using the trackpad gestures on OS X, I just can't imagine going back to a 2-button/wheel mouse ever again! Screw that....! The trackpad is just so organic and comfortable (after a slight adjustment from the OLD ways of doing things)!
 
Just wanted to join the chorus and note that you should give the trackpad a try, in addition to your wheel mouse. The trackpad implementation is one of the things that place macs/ osx miles and miles ahead of windows, and is pretty much essential for getting around lion efficiently. It really highlights the advantage of apple's hardware/software symbiosis.

The only thing I would be concerned about is that lion's "natural scrolling" works better with the trackpad than the wheel mouse. Try both on both devices and choose one, I guess.
 
I needed a mouse with my last netbook. After I switched to the MBP 13" a few months ago, I haven't touched it. I had no idea how fantastic the trackpad would be. I think I stored the mouse in a drawer somewhere.
 
I think it depends on what you are doing. I still have my old Logitech mx 518 hooked onto my Imac, but for the single purpose of gaming. I couldnt manage to play games like Starcraft 2 or CS:Source with the Trackpad or the magic mouse, but that is not what they were designed for. For working and anything else on the computer i found the magic mouse or trackpad much more convenient and very fast to learn. The trackpad on the MBA actually is so good and so nice integrated with Lion it took me less than 10 minutes to get used to it.
 
Bioguy35 said:
Thanks for the advice. I'm excited about getting a shiny new mac. But was afraid the trackpad learning curve would hurt my productivity and leave me frustrated.
Click to expand...

No worries there, the trackpad is a great tool. Take your time to learn the gestures (go to system preferences -> trackpad & look at the demos for the different gestures, then practice :) ) & some keyboard shortcuts and you should be set.

Swiping up with four fingers to bring mission control, down for expose and sideways to switch between desktops is both beautiful and useful. You might decide you don't need a mouse after all (as I did).
 
You'll get used to it. I love the trackpad and bought the Magic Trackpad for when I'm home docking the MBP. Of course, keep a mouse on-hand for detailed use. Can't imagine using Lion w/ out the Trackpad.
 
Total mouse dependency disappears once you get the hang of the trackpad. In fact, it's more of an annoyance to have a mouse using up desk space and getting in the way. It does take a bit to get used to, but once you're there, you probably won't go back.
 
haha good joke.
miss the mouse
oh that made my day :p

anyways on a more serious note, im so used to my 9 month MBP [13"] that i use my PC desktop mouse as if it was a trackpad [you know the middle scrolly thingy... hmm let me explain it better:

Two swipes up on Mac = Go down = Me scrolling up on my PC mouse on my desktop [Windows]

it was rather insane of me haha, but im used to both now, and i like the trackpad,
 
Why not keep using a wheel mouse?

I have a magic mouse that has the "magic" pimple. I also use a generic wheel mouse for my work computer. I couldn't work without a mouse, that is if I had to rely on the track pad/magic pad
 
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