Apples discovers two button mouse
More innovation from the land of Apple
Tuesday, March 15, 2005 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News
To better assist Windows users wanting to convert to the Macintosh, Apple is apparently working on a two-button mouse.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas odds makers are currently taking bets on how long it will take for Macintosh advocates to claim that Apple invented the two-button mouse and Microsoft and "PeeCee" users merely copied it from them. 
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Septimus
Reply #22 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 7:19 AM
Reply #22 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 7:19 AM
It's odd it has taken to now for them to announce it.
OSX works fine with my MS Explorer and that includes the left/right scroll and all 5 buttons.
OSX works fine with my MS Explorer and that includes the left/right scroll and all 5 buttons.
Gollums
Reply #23 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 10:43 AM
Reply #23 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 10:43 AM
Although I tend to try not to use a mouse at all, unless I have to; since OSX is based on BSD, I was wondering how long it would take Apple to come out with the hardware to support their OS. I mean, have you ever tried to use a GUI on top of a Unix/Linux or BSD based OS, and NOT use the third mouse button? It's a pain!
Still it's all about marketing, and as has been shown: that is not Apples' forte. I mean MS can market ice-cubes to Inuits, and Apple could develop an air-conditioner that was only powered by ambient air and still not be able to market it people living in a desert. Some of the best technologies have come out of Cupertino over the past 20 years, but they don't end up going anywhere.
Still it's all about marketing, and as has been shown: that is not Apples' forte. I mean MS can market ice-cubes to Inuits, and Apple could develop an air-conditioner that was only powered by ambient air and still not be able to market it people living in a desert. Some of the best technologies have come out of Cupertino over the past 20 years, but they don't end up going anywhere.
horiz0n
Reply #24 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:41 AM
Reply #24 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:41 AM
If you've used OSX you've probably figured out you don't need more than one mouse button, and other mice don't really function with more than 2, all those extra buttons are just basically hotkeys that do what your keyboard does and most people usually end up using them for ctrl, alt, tab, shift, etc etc...
So on windows you don't need more than 2, mac you don't need more than one, and all the other buttons are just for whatever else you use to generally keep your other hand off the keyboard as much.
But no scroll wheel? Talk about a productivity killer, having to stop what your doing to go to the scroll bar to reposition or see more makes everything go slower, and using it annoying. Windows users are so accustomed to using the mouse wheel the scroll bar generally works just as a visual referrence as to what your current position is out of how much content.
But thats just the way these things ship. How many of you use the crappy mouse came with your dell, hp, compaq, gateway, sony or whatever. Many people replace them immediatly with a mouse that works better and has more features. The same is true with mac and pc, the standard mouse often gets replaced by one that suits the individual better, which means all these logitec 8 button rechargeable nimh laser shooting can opening mice we all love, are used on both mac and pc and work no differently.
Mac isn't becoming able to use more than one mouse button, or able to use a scroll wheel. You've been able to use them pretty much just as long as you have on a pc. PC's just generally ship with a mouse that has them on there as a standard. And the "standard" mouse that comes with a mac is simply getting an extra button that it doesn't need, just to help pc users who couldn't adjust to using an operating system with a mouse that doesn't need more than one button any better than those people that can't seem to figure a reason to replace their vcr with a dvd player.
If apple really wanted people to use the mice they make, they'd put a scroll wheel on it, that ipod-like touch sensitive idea sounds awesome.
So on windows you don't need more than 2, mac you don't need more than one, and all the other buttons are just for whatever else you use to generally keep your other hand off the keyboard as much.
But no scroll wheel? Talk about a productivity killer, having to stop what your doing to go to the scroll bar to reposition or see more makes everything go slower, and using it annoying. Windows users are so accustomed to using the mouse wheel the scroll bar generally works just as a visual referrence as to what your current position is out of how much content.
But thats just the way these things ship. How many of you use the crappy mouse came with your dell, hp, compaq, gateway, sony or whatever. Many people replace them immediatly with a mouse that works better and has more features. The same is true with mac and pc, the standard mouse often gets replaced by one that suits the individual better, which means all these logitec 8 button rechargeable nimh laser shooting can opening mice we all love, are used on both mac and pc and work no differently.
Mac isn't becoming able to use more than one mouse button, or able to use a scroll wheel. You've been able to use them pretty much just as long as you have on a pc. PC's just generally ship with a mouse that has them on there as a standard. And the "standard" mouse that comes with a mac is simply getting an extra button that it doesn't need, just to help pc users who couldn't adjust to using an operating system with a mouse that doesn't need more than one button any better than those people that can't seem to figure a reason to replace their vcr with a dvd player.
If apple really wanted people to use the mice they make, they'd put a scroll wheel on it, that ipod-like touch sensitive idea sounds awesome.
tehStealth
Reply #25 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:46 AM
Reply #25 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:46 AM
I'm not sure why people don't notice it, but there really arent any more 2 button'd mice anymore! EVERYONE should have a 3 button mouse by now, because almost all scrollwheels are acutally a button too. OMG how I HATE using a mouse w/o a scrollwheel. And by now they're gonna come standard with 5 (like Intellimouse) 
kona0197
Reply #26 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:29 PM
Explain to me how someone can use MS software on a Mac? I thought that was near imposible?
Reply #26 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:29 PM
| OSX works fine with my MS Explorer and that includes the left/right scroll and all 5 buttons. |
Explain to me how someone can use MS software on a Mac? I thought that was near imposible?
Bichur
Reply #27 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:34 PM
Mac's gone British!
Reply #27 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:34 PM
| maybe mac has decided its given its users the "finger" long enough and decided to use two of them |
Mac's gone British!
DesignCaddy
Reply #28 Thursday, March 17, 2005 12:07 AM
Reply #28 Thursday, March 17, 2005 12:07 AM
"Took 'em decades to perfect one button"
i don't know.. i find those standard mice very uncomfortable, and very poorly functional. i often find the mouse chord twists and when it rests agains the mouse, you can't even click down.. it 'jams' too easily.
horizon: i cna't see how using windows with one button is any different than mac os. you double click to activate something (and you can even set it to single click to activate), single click to select. mac users have become acustomed to holding down a keyboar key and clicking to get the right click menus.. windows users are just acustomed to having a second button and i find that much easier. you can work with one hand! with two buttons on a mac it feels natural as well to just right click everywhere.
then there is design apps.. much easier to click different buttons on the mouse to get your options. its just better interfacing. i noticed other designers who use macs all use microsoft multi buttoned mice
i don't know.. i find those standard mice very uncomfortable, and very poorly functional. i often find the mouse chord twists and when it rests agains the mouse, you can't even click down.. it 'jams' too easily.
horizon: i cna't see how using windows with one button is any different than mac os. you double click to activate something (and you can even set it to single click to activate), single click to select. mac users have become acustomed to holding down a keyboar key and clicking to get the right click menus.. windows users are just acustomed to having a second button and i find that much easier. you can work with one hand! with two buttons on a mac it feels natural as well to just right click everywhere.
then there is design apps.. much easier to click different buttons on the mouse to get your options. its just better interfacing. i noticed other designers who use macs all use microsoft multi buttoned mice
PinkChampaign
Reply #29 Thursday, March 17, 2005 12:11 AM
Reply #29 Thursday, March 17, 2005 12:11 AM
Hmm, not much to say that hasn't already been stated...except this...
"There once was a man from Nantucket...."
LMAO
~ The ever so bubbly one...
~ Pink Champaign
"There once was a man from Nantucket...."
LMAO ~ The ever so bubbly one...
~ Pink Champaign
Drop125
Reply #30 Thursday, March 17, 2005 3:27 PM
Reply #30 Thursday, March 17, 2005 3:27 PM
Hmm since Apple did invent the mouse I guess PCs are the copiers right5..Since Apple does own the first patent on a one button mouse before anyone else thought of it......
horiz0n
Reply #31 Thursday, March 17, 2005 6:21 PM
Reply #31 Thursday, March 17, 2005 6:21 PM
It is much easier, not to mention time consuming....right click vs click and hollllllllllllllllllllllllllddddddddddddddddd......THERE!
For some reason the way the mouse goes into the keyboard seems like an awesome way to lessen the cords everywhere, but they do always seem to get tangled
and the cordless mouse is...well lets just say for a wireless one button mouse, overpriced is an understatement.
For some reason the way the mouse goes into the keyboard seems like an awesome way to lessen the cords everywhere, but they do always seem to get tangled
and the cordless mouse is...well lets just say for a wireless one button mouse, overpriced is an understatement.
Frogboy
Reply #32 Thursday, March 17, 2005 6:44 PM
Reply #32 Thursday, March 17, 2005 6:44 PM
| Hmm since Apple did invent the mouse I guess PCs are the copiers right5..Since Apple does own the first patent on a one button mouse before anyone else thought of it...... |
Hence why people make fun of Apple in situations like this - they brainwash their fans into thinking they invented things. I think the engineers at Xerox Parc, who actually invented the mouse, would have an issue about this.
Jafo
Reply #33 Thursday, March 17, 2005 6:55 PM
Reply #33 Thursday, March 17, 2005 6:55 PM
....and I think Amiga had them before Apple as well....rings a bell...
pjpowell
Reply #34 Friday, March 18, 2005 5:01 AM
As I read it they're talking about the MS Explorer mouse (intellimouse maybe). Regardless MS do make some Mac software too.
Reply #34 Friday, March 18, 2005 5:01 AM
| OSX works fine with my MS Explorer and that includes the left/right scroll and all 5 buttons. Explain to me how someone can use MS software on a Mac? I thought that was near imposible? |
As I read it they're talking about the MS Explorer mouse (intellimouse maybe). Regardless MS do make some Mac software too.
RAd_Tad
Reply #35 Wednesday, April 6, 2005 4:13 PM
Reply #35 Wednesday, April 6, 2005 4:13 PM
Yes, an insider who declined to be named reported that Apple's engineers are working around the clock using the latest CAD software and state of the art virtual technology to design the second button. Currently, Apple's engineers are being boggled as to how two buttons can coexist simultaneously. Months of hard work have been put into the design, and it seems that the new mouse would acheive a new plateu in ergonimcal design and computing excellence. Our informant then proceeded to show us some artist's visions on how the final product might look like. If accompished, the unprecedented feat would parallel, if not surpass the discovery of the light bulb.
Later, at a press conference, CEO Steve Jobs claimed that Apple products are designed to give total computing euphoria, and all products designed by Microsoft Corporation are just half-hearted attempts to emulate Apple's innovations. When questioned about the possible inclusion of a scroll-button, Steve Jobs vehemently denied there being any such existant apparatus in the world.
"The scroll-button is just a myth propogated by our adversaries at Microsoft, and currently there is no technology available to make a wheel rotate on it's axis and click at the same time; that's just nonsensical and unattainable at the moment. Rest assured, our engineers are studying this phenomena, and if ever a such a device is to be realized, Apple will be the one that's pioneering the innovation."
The new mouse will be manufactured in China, entailing child labor and compose of recycled plastic from a garbage dump. It will hit stores at a paltry retail price of $80.
Later, at a press conference, CEO Steve Jobs claimed that Apple products are designed to give total computing euphoria, and all products designed by Microsoft Corporation are just half-hearted attempts to emulate Apple's innovations. When questioned about the possible inclusion of a scroll-button, Steve Jobs vehemently denied there being any such existant apparatus in the world.
"The scroll-button is just a myth propogated by our adversaries at Microsoft, and currently there is no technology available to make a wheel rotate on it's axis and click at the same time; that's just nonsensical and unattainable at the moment. Rest assured, our engineers are studying this phenomena, and if ever a such a device is to be realized, Apple will be the one that's pioneering the innovation."
The new mouse will be manufactured in China, entailing child labor and compose of recycled plastic from a garbage dump. It will hit stores at a paltry retail price of $80.
Jafo
Reply #36 Wednesday, April 6, 2005 7:29 PM
Reply #36 Wednesday, April 6, 2005 7:29 PM
I think the real problem with the second button on an Apple mouse will come to light when it's discovered the average Apple user does not have opposing thumbs....
Dark-Star
Reply #37 Thursday, April 21, 2005 2:52 PM
Good one Jafo.. that's awesome! HURREY FOR OPPOSABLE THUMBS!!!
Reply #37 Thursday, April 21, 2005 2:52 PM
| I think the real problem with the second button on an Apple mouse will come to light when it's discovered the average Apple user does not have opposing thumbs.... |
Good one Jafo.. that's awesome!
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Reply #21 Wednesday, March 16, 2005 5:59 AM
That is funny in more ways than one... balls... track balls.
yeah, even the cheep-o mouses have a mouse wheel and 2 buttons...