Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > macOS > OSX mouse irritates me

OSX mouse irritates me
Thread Tools
Alpha-sphere
Forum Regular
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Netherlands (The Hague)
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 8, 2004, 07:12 PM
 
I've been using a PC for about 5 years now and before that i had a mac performa.
Being a PC and Mac user i just can't get over how the mouse feels in OSX. It's not accurate.
I can't make a quicke move toward something without missing 90% of the time. On the PC it's the opposite. I've tried different mices but it's all the same. Is there a program that i can download so it feels more direct like in OS9?

PS: i've been using my new mac for 6 months now so it's not something that anybody can get used to.
Powered by a 15" alu powerbook superdrive
     
gorickey
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Retired.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 12:32 AM
 
Interesting, I don't see this behavior at all and I'm using a Kensington PocketMouse Pro with their software/drivers...works like a charm and VERY accurate...
     
Catfish_Man
Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 12:35 AM
 
Have a look at USB Overdrive. A lot of PC users have trouble with the different acceleration settings on Macs, and it allows you to change them.
     
Kermy
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 12:40 AM
 
Originally posted by Alpha-sphere:
I've been using a PC for about 5 years now and before that i had a mac performa.
Being a PC and Mac user i just can't get over how the mouse feels in OSX. It's not accurate.
I can't make a quicke move toward something without missing 90% of the time. On the PC it's the opposite. I've tried different mices but it's all the same. Is there a program that i can download so it feels more direct like in OS9?

PS: i've been using my new mac for 6 months now so it's not something that anybody can get used to.
I totally agree with you. There's something...laggy about it. I'm going to try out USB Overdrive. Hopefully that'll give me a better feel.
Powerbook G4 12" Combo
     
Jeff75
Forum Regular
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Michigan, USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 01:08 AM
 
disagree more. I find it irritating to use the mouse on Windows machines. The acceleration is just - well, WRONG. The main reason I went back to the Apple Pro Mouse from a Kensington multi-button mouse is the acceleration. Regardless of how much I tweaked the acceleration settings on that Kensington mouse it just didn't give me the precision that the Apple Pro Mouse does.
With a Windows mouse I feel slightly out of control. The Apple mouse just responds better. It just works.
MBP 17" Core i7 matte screen; iPad 16Gb 3G
     
Link
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Hyrule
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 01:11 AM
 
My only complaint when I went from windows to OS X was how horribly slow the mouse speed was. Haxies fixed that until 10.2 and 10.3 came to be
Aloha
     
Graymalkin
Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2001
Location: ~/
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 02:41 AM
 
Apple's always used logarithmic acceleration on cursor movement whereas X and Windows both use linear acceleration. This is specifically why cursors on Macs always seem to move so much slower than on their Unix and Windows counterparts. The intention of the logarithmic acceleration was to provide the Mac interface with more precise control over the cursor moving at lower speeds. I'm used to the speed of the Mac cursor although I can understand the desire to have it faster. Try turning up the speed of the cursor movement and move your hand faster over the mousepad, the cursor will jump even with a slight movement as long as it is quick enough.
     
Link
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Hyrule
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 02:45 AM
 
Once 10.2 came to be I found I REALLY liked apple's mouse movement algorithm... it feels so accurate
Aloha
     
bborofka
Forum Regular
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Chico, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 05:26 AM
 
The problem with OS X's mouse movement is the acceleration is too extreme. When moving the mouse slowly, the cursor is at a near stand-still, and when moving at a quicker speed it flies across the screen way too fast. I've tried Apple Pro mouse and my Logitech MX500 with different speeds and the acceleration is still too radical. The only thing I can do is use USB Overdrive to adjust the acceleration to a reasonable value, and even that's very hard to get right.

I wish Apple would just take a cue from Microsoft and duplicate how the mouse feels in XP. It feels so right and natural, I don't even think about it. Everytime I'm on a Mac, the mouse is always too slow by default and the acceleration is too awkward.
     
Alpha-sphere  (op)
Forum Regular
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Netherlands (The Hague)
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 05:33 AM
 
They should have to copy it from XP but at leasat give use the option.
Powered by a 15" alu powerbook superdrive
     
booboo
Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 05:37 AM
 
Originally posted by eVo:


I wish Apple would just take a cue from Microsoft and duplicate how the mouse feels in XP. It feels so right and natural, I don't even think about it. Everytime I'm on a Mac, the mouse is always too slow by default and the acceleration is too awkward.
People will get used to anything - Windows, Microsoft, McDonalds, XP's 'appearance' . . . the mouse movement in Windows was always out of control - way too imprecise, but it feels fast . . . like driving a very fast car with elastic steering linkage . . .

As usual, Apple got it right, but there'll always be those who like it the wrong way . . . ;-)
     
nforcer
Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 06:12 AM
 
Windows mouse movement irritates me... linear acceleration doesn't allow the sudden changes I make to be displayed accurately on screen.
     
voodoo
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Salamanca, España
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 07:46 AM
 
Originally posted by booboo:
People will get used to anything - Windows, Microsoft, McDonalds, XP's 'appearance' . . . the mouse movement in Windows was always out of control - way too imprecise, but it feels fast . . . like driving a very fast car with elastic steering linkage . . .

As usual, Apple got it right, but there'll always be those who like it the wrong way . . . ;-)
Ya!

Windows mouse acceleration has always felt IMPRECISE to me and WAY to EXAGGERATED.

It is crap.

The logarythmic Macintosh way is totally AWSOME.
I could take Sean Connery in a fight... I could definitely take him.
     
ryju
Professional Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 09:25 AM
 
My cursor speed is pretty darn fast I must say.
     
chabig
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 10:14 AM
 
Watch a Windows user try to hit a target with the cursor. Sure, the mouse zooms over there, but they'll always overshoot. Count the number of times the cursor overshoots this way and that way before they hit it. Then watch a person on a Mac hit it perfectly the first time. This is the difference between thoughtful research and thoughtless programming.

Chris
     
mitchell_pgh
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Washington, DC
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 11:44 AM
 
I've got a Microsoft wireless mouse...

near perfection...
     
sanity assassin
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: In a gadda da vida.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 03:16 PM
 
Originally posted by eVo:
The problem with OS X's mouse movement is the acceleration is too extreme. When moving the mouse slowly, the cursor is at a near stand-still, and when moving at a quicker speed it flies across the screen way too fast.
I agree. It's not so bad if you're used to OSX's way of working; but hopping from XP to the Mac, I really hate OS X's mouse handling. It really gets in the way of being productuve for me.

Like you mentioed above. If you move the mouse acceleration slider up to the max to get a decent speed, the mouse behaves far too slowly with small movements.
Rockstar Games - better than reality.
     
Alpha-sphere  (op)
Forum Regular
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Netherlands (The Hague)
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 03:40 PM
 
Originally posted by sanity assassin:
I agree. It's not so bad if you're used to OSX's way of working; but hopping from XP to the Mac, I really hate OS X's mouse handling. It really gets in the way of being productuve for me.
You sound just like me
I can do the same thing faster on my PC than on the mac. Why? cause i just can't seem to get use to the way the mouse feels in OSX.
Powered by a 15" alu powerbook superdrive
     
voodoo
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Salamanca, España
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 04:21 PM
 
Originally posted by chabig:
Watch a Windows user try to hit a target with the cursor. Sure, the mouse zooms over there, but they'll always overshoot. Count the number of times the cursor overshoots this way and that way before they hit it. Then watch a person on a Mac hit it perfectly the first time. This is the difference between thoughtful research and thoughtless programming.

Chris
I could take Sean Connery in a fight... I could definitely take him.
     
sanity assassin
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: In a gadda da vida.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 04:51 PM
 
Originally posted by chabig:
Watch a Windows user try to hit a target with the cursor. Sure, the mouse zooms over there, but they'll always overshoot. Count the number of times the cursor overshoots this way and that way before they hit it. Then watch a person on a Mac hit it perfectly the first time. This is the difference between thoughtful research and thoughtless programming.

Chris
Enhance Pointer Precision, it's in the mouse control panel.
Rockstar Games - better than reality.
     
Webscreamer
Mac Elite
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Silicon Valley
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 05:32 PM
 
Maybe they should carbonize that mouse training program from system 7.0

What was it called again?
Anyone who would letterspace blackletter would steal sheep. - Frederic Goudy
     
Kermy
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 05:44 PM
 
Originally posted by voodoo:
Ya!

Windows mouse acceleration has always felt IMPRECISE to me and WAY to EXAGGERATED.

It is crap.

The logarythmic Macintosh way is totally AWSOME.
Couldn't disagree with you more. OS X's mouse acceleartion is CRAP. crApple should give us the option for both.
Powerbook G4 12" Combo
     
JasonQG
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 06:51 PM
 
I love this place. A guy asks for help, and instead of trying to help, you guys argue about whether he should want what he wants.
     
voodoo
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Salamanca, España
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 07:00 PM
 
Originally posted by Kermy:
Couldn't disagree with you more. OS X's mouse acceleartion is CRAP. crApple should give us the option for both.
Does your hand accelerate linearly? Nope. The crApple approach is much better, more natural and more intuative.
I could take Sean Connery in a fight... I could definitely take him.
     
Alpha-sphere  (op)
Forum Regular
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Netherlands (The Hague)
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 07:02 PM
 
Originally posted by JasonQG:
I love this place. A guy asks for help, and instead of trying to help, you guys argue about whether he should want what he wants.
LOL!!
USB overdrive works great! THX
Powered by a 15" alu powerbook superdrive
     
sanity assassin
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: In a gadda da vida.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 07:06 PM
 
Originally posted by voodoo:
Does your hand accelerate linearly? Nope. The crApple approach is much better, more natural and more intuative.
No, but my hand definitely doesn't move as though it was going through a ton of treacle when i move it just a wee bit.

So, Apple's method might be cool with you; but for others it's the worst thing ever.
Rockstar Games - better than reality.
     
macgyvr64
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 08:40 PM
 
Being a born and bred Mac user, I love the acceleration of the cursor on the Mac, especially Panther. I sold my Apple Pro Mouse on eBay shortly after I got my G4 tower and bought two Logitech optical two-button-plus-scroll-wheel mice with the money (one for travel). I can't live without my right click even though I've always had Macs. I've fount that right-clicking has become too useful after dealing with the PC side of things. Most things are contextually sensitive, too. And I don't know how anyone uses Photoshop without two (or more) buttons.
     
bborofka
Forum Regular
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Chico, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 9, 2004, 09:01 PM
 
FWIW, I think OS 9's mouse speed/acceleration is much better than OS X. I never knew what sort of acceleration system OS 9 had, but it surely wasn't as awkward and dramatic as OS X's, hence it felt much better.

The problem I see is this: the Mouse Tracking Speed slider doesn't really adjust the Speed at all. It adjusts the Acceleration. Try moving the mouse slowly, and you will notice the cursor hardly moves at all no matter what setting the Speed is at. The only thing the Speed slider will adjust is the cursor movement when you move the mouse quickly. The Speed slider essentially makes the Acceleration curve steeper, and that's it. It's misleading to call it a Tracking Speed slider. Apple ought to rename this slider Acceleration and give us a true Tracking Speed slider, one that won't mess with the acceleration at all, but change the overall speed of the cursor.

I use Macs everyday and I'm very accustomed to the feel of OS X. I've used OS X since the Public Beta, and I have NEVER been able to get used to the mouse acceleration (especially when gaming). I've tried it for weeks at a time, always longing to tweak it in USB Overdrive (which still doesn't give me the fluid speed/accel I get in Windows).

At my work, I upgrade NT boxes to XP for my University, and every time I sit down to use XP, I find I like its mouse speed/acceleration much better. For those of you that think XP's acceleration is inferior, make sure you open the Mouse Control Panel and check "Enhance Pointer Precision" like someone said earlier. It should be on by default, but if it isn't, you WILL get terrible cursor control.
     
Gator Lager
Senior User
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Florida
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 10, 2004, 12:08 AM
 
sorry i can't post attachments.
ok go here http://appft1.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html

enter in Term 1 apple
field 1 select assingee name
Term 2 computer, inc
then select 20040046741

optically based scrolling feature mouse. maybe this helps in your hunt for the perfect mouse. now when do we get it
     
Bobby
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Camarillo, CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 10, 2004, 06:39 PM
 
OS X Mouse???

I didn't know anybody made Mouses with Mac OS X in them... Does it do any really cool stuff???
     
Spliffdaddy
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: South of the Mason-Dixon line
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 10, 2004, 11:48 PM
 
well, it's slow....
     
Link
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Hyrule
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 11, 2004, 12:22 AM
 
Originally posted by Spliffdaddy:
well, it's slow....
Why don't you go make a damn mouse out of copper pipes?
Aloha
     
Musti
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Montr�al, QC
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 12, 2004, 04:33 PM
 
Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I've got a Microsoft wireless mouse...

near perfection...
...at RF lag?
     
tRr
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Toronto
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 14, 2004, 04:54 AM
 
Originally posted by Webscreamer:
Maybe they should carbonize that mouse training program from system 7.0

What was it called again?
Mouse Basics?

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple...cs_4.5.sea.bin

Still works in Classic
     
LeeG
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: New York City
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 16, 2004, 12:51 PM
 
Wow I never knew the intracacies of the mouse programs, but now it makes sense-

I agree the windows cursor movements feel TERRIBLE to me (maybe cause I am used to a mac), but I have to use XP at work, and its odd, kinda feels like I am not so connected to the pointer, I feel like OSX is much more aligned with my movements...hmm....

Lee
iPhone 3G 16Gb
24" 2.8Ghz Core 2 Duo iMac, 4GB/320GB/256MB
12" AlBook 1Ghz/768Mb/80Gb/Combo/AX
     
angelmb
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Automatic
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 17, 2004, 10:04 AM
 
Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I've got a Microsoft wireless mouse...

near perfection...
Hum, I also have one of these, not near from the perfection, I use it over a wood desk, the four plastic pieces that do the contact between the mouse and the table are not good. Just tried that:

place the ms mouse over my 17" PowerBook palm rest, but not doing real contact, the mouse is 'floating' over it, sure one milimeter, but NOW I have the almost perfect pointer�s movement.

Does the mouse need an old school optical metal mouse pad?
     
bma_mat99
Forum Regular
Join Date: May 2004
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 17, 2004, 06:45 PM
 
Try using a trackball mouse like I use, its just wonderfull when you get used to it, and its soo easy to use since you only use your thumb to move the cursor. Try it, just dont get a crappy mouse, but its realy worth it. Originaly they wre 50 dollars, but you can get them for like 18 dollars now.
     
bradoesch
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 17, 2004, 09:04 PM
 
macgyvr64, I couldn't read any of this thread because of your highly distracting animated sig



Oh, and In Before Mitchell_pgh.
     
angelmb
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Automatic
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 18, 2004, 09:29 AM
 
Originally posted by bma_mat99:
Try using a trackball mouse like I use, its just wonderfull when you get used to it, and its soo easy to use since you only use your thumb to move the cursor. Try it, just dont get a crappy mouse, but its realy worth it. Originaly they wre 50 dollars, but you can get them for like 18 dollars now.
interesting advice, which one you have and aimed to (apps I mean)?
Thanks.
     
cgc
Professional Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Down by the river
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 19, 2004, 12:47 PM
 
You can adjust mouse settings. I tried several optical mice and eventually settled on one with a high sampling rate (if that's the correct term). It is more accurate due to refreshing itself/taking more snapshots every second.
     
CharlesS
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Dec 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 19, 2004, 01:10 PM
 
Originally posted by Spliffdaddy:
well, it's slow....
I can quickly jump from one corner of a 1024x768 screen to the other in a split second with a single gesture. What's so slow about it?

I think that those complaining about the mouse speed should get a Logitech MX mouse. I've never had a mouse feel more comfortable.

Ticking sound coming from a .pkg package? Don't let the .bom go off! Inspect it first with Pacifist. Macworld - five mice!
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:39 PM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,