Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

videian28 · May 28, 2004, 10:26 AM

I have recently switched back to my apple mouse, the difference in the "fluidity" of using the apple device with the apple drivers is a much more pleasent expierence than what I was using...microsoft mouse with overdrive usb drivers.

I just wish it had a bit more functionality

are we going to see a new apple PRO mouse? I think so...Apple is hard headed to say the least..but the time has come

make it so

rjenkinson · May 28, 2004, 10:35 AM

-r.

Ron Goodman · May 28, 2004, 06:00 PM

You forget the "Who cares?" option. OS X has worked with multiple-button mice since the day it came out--anyone who wants one can get one for $15-$20.

videian28 · May 30, 2004, 06:53 AM

Ron, you missed the point, this poll if for those that do care

The Placid Casual · May 30, 2004, 11:05 AM

Judging by what Steve has said about it in the past, if there is a MB announced, it will on a day there is snowboarding in hell.

tooki · May 30, 2004, 01:52 PM

At WWDC? Nope.

WWDC isn't MacWorld Expo: it's the Worldwide Developer Conference. They're announcing Tiger (so that developers can get to work with it early, just like with Panther), isn't that enough?

tooki

Drakino · May 30, 2004, 03:38 PM

Originally posted by The Placid Casual:
Judging by what Steve has said about it in the past, if there is a MB announced, it will on a day there is snowboarding in hell.

Then again, I think Hell did freeze over when I ran iTunes on a PC...

I know, two totally different things, just playing devils advocate here :-)

I personally find having Expos� on the mouse easier, and like that I can bind the functions to the extra buttons on the side of the MS Bluetooth Mouse I currently use. My only potential gripe with Apple being a single mouse button company is the fact that my Powerbook trackpad has one button and cannot be changed. On the desktop side, I could care less since as others said, $10-$20 fixes that with a mouse that fits my hand.

Also, having owned this Powerbook for 9 months now, I can say I am used to dealing when a single mouse button when I have to. I don't prefer it, but it doesn't annoy me as much as it did.

zachs · May 30, 2004, 04:36 PM

Originally posted by tooki:
At WWDC? Nope.

WWDC isn't MacWorld Expo: it's the Worldwide Developer Conference. They're announcing Tiger (so that developers can get to work with it early, just like with Panther), isn't that enough?

tooki

They announced the G5 last year. So it's possible.

videian28 · May 31, 2004, 07:29 PM

Drakino you absoloutly must download the program called sidetrack for your powerbook, it makes that trackpad and single button as functional as any mouse

this is the one program that I will never go without on a powerbook

Link · May 31, 2004, 11:31 PM

I wish. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!

Drakino · Jun 3, 2004, 03:47 PM

Originally posted by videian28:
Drakino you absoloutly must download the program called sidetrack for your powerbook, it makes that trackpad and single button as functional as any mouse

I use Sidetrack for the scrolling function, but cound never stand clicking by touching the trackpad. When I enable it, I end up clicking too much, this happened on my first laptop ages ago as well (Some ancient PC one with a touchpad)

It's a nice workaround, but hardware buttons are less accident prone.

videian28 · Jun 7, 2004, 09:22 AM

mark my words, they are coming....very soon now...

southtdi · Jun 7, 2004, 12:10 PM

Originally posted by Drakino:
I use Sidetrack for the scrolling function, but cound never stand clicking by touching the trackpad. When I enable it, I end up clicking too much, this happened on my first laptop ages ago as well (Some ancient PC one with a touchpad)

It's a nice workaround, but hardware buttons are less accident prone.

Just check the "iignore trackpad while typing: checkbox and that is no longer an issue. I use to hate trackpads (several years ago) but now I prefer them to anything else that was ever used to pointing on a laptop. BTW, sidetrack is a great program.

goose · Jun 7, 2004, 10:52 PM

Well, not so much multi-button mice....I can always pick up a third party mouse for my desktop. I would like to see multi-buttons built in on the laptops (PowerBooks and iBooks). That's the main reason why I hesitate buying one. Yeah, I know I can always connect a mouse, but I don't want to be carrying around a laptop and a mouse all the time.

Link · Jun 8, 2004, 12:35 AM

what I'd love is a multi button (more than 3) mouse that had a low profile. It seems that every mouse MS makes and almost all the other companies right now is designed for someone that has a really big hand (or really high arch in their palm), neither of which I have.

The pro mouse is so nice and small

I guess I'll end up getting a notebook mouse

chrisutley · Jun 9, 2004, 03:39 PM

Steve's refusal to release a multi-button scroll wheel mouse demonstrates a glaring flaw in his personality. Apple would sell tons of them. I haven't used an Apple mouse since before my Mac IIci. Knowing Apple's knack for design and quality, I'd probably buy an Apple two-button mouse the day it came out and so would thousands of other Mac users.

Not only is it just stupid, it's a lost revenue opportunity. Probably not a huge opportunity, but I'm sure they would profit on such a device.

DigitalEl · Jun 10, 2004, 03:54 AM

Steve's refusal to release a multi-button scroll wheel mouse demonstrates a glaring flaw in his personality. Apple would sell tons of them. I haven't used an Apple mouse since before my Mac IIci. Knowing Apple's knack for design and quality, I'd probably buy an Apple two-button mouse the day it came out and so would thousands of other Mac users.

Not only is it just stupid, it's a lost revenue opportunity. Probably not a huge opportunity, but I'm sure they would profit on such a device.

Great point about revenue. It's not like a multi-button mouse would take months and months and a huge team to make happen. It's a relatively simple peripheral... And would no doubt be a big seller.

Personally however, I couldn't care less. It would probably be overpriced ($50 for the current Apple-branded mouse or keyboard) and my *cough* MS IntelliMouse Explorer has been serving me flawlessly for quite some time. I'm not looking to replace it anytime soon.

diskgolfking · Jun 10, 2004, 09:34 AM

Between Logitech, Microsoft, and a few other players (Kensington? who else?) I really don't see the need. It's not like I need an Apple logo on everything I buy. Frankly, I doubt Apple sees the need either.

macaddict0001 · Jun 12, 2004, 05:59 PM

Originally posted by tooki:
At WWDC? Nope.

WWDC isn't MacWorld Expo: it's the Worldwide Developer Conference. They're announcing Tiger (so that developers can get to work with it early, just like with Panther), isn't that enough?

tooki

well yeah I see your point but don't you think that developers would use more control click functions in their apps if they know more people would use them.

macaddict0001 · Jun 12, 2004, 06:11 PM

Originally posted by Link:
what I'd love is a multi button (more than 3) mouse that had a low profile. It seems that every mouse MS makes and almost all the other companies right now is designed for someone that has a really big hand (or really high arch in their palm), neither of which I have.

The pro mouse is so nice and small I guess I'll end up getting a notebook mouse

so thats the reason the pro mouse feels so much better.

tooki · Jun 12, 2004, 08:34 PM

Originally posted by macaddict0001:
well yeah I see your point but don't you think that developers would use more control click functions in their apps if they know more people would use them.

Which is precisely why Apple ships only 1-button mice with their computers. On Windows, lots of programs have functions that are only available by right click. Apple specifically wants every command to be found in a non-contextual menu, because that helps build structure in the user's mind. (Contextual menus, by design, never have grayed-out commands. Regular menus do, which help explain to the user what features are available under other circumstances.)

By not guaranteeing that every user has a multibutton mouse, Apple is (as much as it is within their control) guaranteeing that every application will work on a single-button configuration.*

tooki

*Maya is a most notable example of an application that cannot be operated with a one-button mouse: Maya requires 3 buttons. Then again, it's a super-pro app, so the typical user is not likely to be flummoxed by additional buttons!

iDaver · Jun 12, 2004, 08:55 PM

Originally posted by tooki:
By not guaranteeing that every user has a multibutton mouse, Apple is (as much as it is within their control) guaranteeing that every application will work on a single-button configuration.*

As it should be.

melman101 · Jun 12, 2004, 11:44 PM

I tell you one thing. I just got a bluetooth mouse, and wish it was a multibutton mouse by apple. Sure the logitech has many buttons for expose, but in the keyboard/mouse preferences the bluetooth battery level for the keyboard and mouse don't show up. :-(. Thats one reason to have an apple logo on the device. to make sure its fully supported by the os.

Mel

iDaver · Jun 12, 2004, 11:55 PM

Even though I prefer a one-button mouse, I wouldn't be opposed if Apple made a multibutton mouse with a scroll wheel. It should be a build to order item. I think it would be a mistake to include one with every computer for the reasons tooki outlined above.

chrisutley · Jun 13, 2004, 03:28 AM

Two words why Apple still does not sell an Apple branded two-button mouse: Steve Jobs

Originally posted by tooki:
Which is precisely why Apple ships only 1-button mice with their computers. On Windows, lots of programs have functions that are only available by right click. Apple specifically wants every command to be found in a non-contextual menu, because that helps build structure in the user's mind.

macaddict0001 · Jun 13, 2004, 11:22 AM

Originally posted by iDaver:
Even though I prefer a one-button mouse, I wouldn't be opposed if Apple made a multibutton mouse with a scroll wheel. It should be a build to order item. I think it would be a mistake to include one with every computer for the reasons tooki outlined above.

yeah built to order. free when you buy a powermac G5 ultimate.

iDaver · Jun 13, 2004, 11:31 AM

Originally posted by macaddict0001:
yeah built to order. free when you buy a powermac G5 ultimate.

Free would be a good idea. Allow people to chose which mouse they want when they order a Power Mac from the Apple Store. It'd probably be half and half.

vmpaul · Jun 13, 2004, 12:48 PM

Originally posted by tooki:
Which is precisely why Apple ships only 1-button mice with their computers. On Windows, lots of programs have functions that are only available by right click. Apple specifically wants every command to be found in a non-contextual menu, because that helps build structure in the user's mind. (Contextual menus, by design, never have grayed-out commands. Regular menus do, which help explain to the user what features are available under other circumstances.)

By not guaranteeing that every user has a multibutton mouse, Apple is (as much as it is within their control) guaranteeing that every application will work on a single-button configuration.*

Which isn't going to start happening on Macs either. Programmers aren't all of a sudden going to start writing functions that can't be accessed.

Main reason is because of the vast amount of legacy equipment still out there. I know a couple of freelance support people who still run into people running OS 7. That may be anecdotal but just take a look at the the OSX conversion charts. There's a still a big market out there of older machines. If they're running OS 7-9, they're probably not using MB mice either.

Now, there are developers out there who may do it but they'd be crippling and reducing the market for their software. Not very smart business. If they're stupid enough to do that then they probably don't deserve to be business in the first place. Call it economical Darwin-ism. Someone like Maya can get away with it but you'd be hard-pressed to say that they don't know the habits of their user base.

It isn't because of some Holy Grail of User Interface Guidelines. No, it's just stubbornness that keeps Apple from offering their own branded MB mouse. As chrisutley said, they're missing out on a revenue source. That's just plain silly. Development would be minimal (much less than a wireless keyboard and mouse, wouldn't you say?) and people would eat it up. I know I'd rather have a Apple MB mouse than a 3rd party one. I haven't used a Apple mouse since the IIci days.

aljawad · Jun 16, 2004, 07:00 AM

Originally posted by tooki:
At WWDC? Nope.

WWDC isn't MacWorld Expo: it's the Worldwide Developer Conference. They're announcing Tiger (so that developers can get to work with it early, just like with Panther), isn't that enough?

tooki

Last year @ WWDC, not only did Steve introduce iSight while demonstrating iChat / Panther, he gave a free one to all attendees.
A new mouse � incorporating some functionality borrowed from the iPod wheel � has been rumored, can�t recall since when.
Who knows? We'll know in less than 2 weeks

videian28 · Jun 16, 2004, 10:19 AM

interesting idea....

vvedge · Jun 16, 2004, 09:02 PM

The one button mouse is the simplest mouse on the market. Pure and simple. There are far too many options out there for mice. You have Microsoft, Logitech, and Kensington and co. making 2/3/4/5/6/7/8 button, scroll/no scroll, wired/wireless, usb/rf/bluetooth/firewire mice, if Apple tries to venture into that market when they've NEVER made a 2 button mouse, they will fail at satisfying everyone.

Be happy with your third party mice, because if Apple puts one out, you will find a flaw with it and it will cost too much to upgrade to it anyway.

Link · Jun 16, 2004, 09:14 PM

The irony behind all this is that some people blame Steve Jobs. Did it ever occur to you people that Steve started NeXT? How many buttons do NeXT mice have?

Not sure?

http://next.z80.org/hardware/next/pe...sewithhand.jpg

How many buttons does it look like it has?

videian28 · Jun 17, 2004, 09:42 AM

Apple tries to venture into that market when they've NEVER made a 2 button mouse, they will fail at satisfying everyone

just like they did when they introduced a webcam (iSight) and a wireless device (airport express) and a mp3 player (iPod)

those were all failures to

you judge apple wrongly

macaddict0001 · Jun 17, 2004, 12:58 PM

Originally posted by videian28:
just like they did when they introduced a webcam (iSight) and a wireless device (airport express) and a mp3 player (iPod)

those were all failures to

you judge apple wrongly

Isight wasn't the first webcam apple made they made some "quicktake" models and airport came before airport extreme also the Ipod wasn't the first apple music player(although it was the first mp3 player. And Apple did have some "Real" failures such as pippen and newton

videian28 · Jun 17, 2004, 02:00 PM

true, but what recently have they released that has not been very well accepted??

the apple bluetooth mouse is all I can think of.....a brilliant piece but vacant of the one feature everyone wanted

videian28 · Jun 28, 2004, 08:46 AM

today is the day

wataru · Jun 29, 2004, 11:44 AM

Originally posted by videian28:
today is the day

And... zippo!

tooki, please come in here and do a round of "I told you so"'s.

tooki · Jun 29, 2004, 12:49 PM

That's OK. When you're as right as I am, you don't need to say a thing!

tooki

Kenneth · Jun 29, 2004, 01:33 PM

Should we close the thread by now?

videian28 · Jun 29, 2004, 04:15 PM

I am shamed :/

damn apple!