[Backwards Chris]

Hello all.

The way I intuitively use a mouse is backwards (that is, to make the cursor go left, I push the mouse right, and to make it go up, I push down).

This means my mouse is turned around 180 degrees from the usual position (that is, so that the cord pokes out towards me).

This also means that I hold the mouse a little differently, on account of the cord and the relative position of the clicky pivot, and I think that this is starting to ruin my wrist.

Is there any way of changing the settings of my mac so that the mouse is inverted - that is, so the mouse faces the usual way and the cord and buttons are in their usual relative positions, but up=down and left=right?

any tips would be very very much appreciated.

cheers

C

[chabig]

Practice, practice, practice...

[Judge_Fire]

You might want to contact someone who makes this kind of software already, to see if they'd be willing to add this (relatively simple) feature. Try Alessandro Levi Montalcini, who makes USB Overdrive at http://www.usboverdrive.com/ . It seems he's already looking at custom acceleration curves, so inverting could be as simple as throwing in a '-' to a value somewhere

Then again, re-configuring your brain shouldn't take long and would make things easier for you when using other computers. Good mental exercise, too.

J

[leperkuhn]

I assume you're name is backwards chris because you're dyslexic? In which case "learning to use it backwards" is probably very difficult.

[subego]

Wireless mouse.

No cord.

[cla]

Hi Chris, and thanks for an interesting post. I've never heard of a user like yourself, but I sympathize with you as I totally understand your frustration – I myself was once used to playing Quake in "inverted mouse mode". It took a couple of weeks of de-learning that seemingly hardwired habit – it shouldn't be too hard should you decide to "go with the flow"...

Or
1. buy an old mouse with a ball, turn it upside down and use it as a track ball.

2. Get a secretary, which will do all the mouse movements for you. Or a touch screen.

3. Dirty-hack yourself. (Downloading a file monitor and checking what file the mouse pref pane writes to when you change the sensitivity might be a good start.)

[theyoda3]

Hold your mouse backwards. It's really easy with the Apple mouse, just turn it 180 degrees so the cord is at the bottom. It's just as easy to click with, plus if someone else uses the computer they don;t have to change any preferences, just turn the mouse around again. This is easier with a wireless mouse, as I think someone else was suggesting.

[tooki]

Just out of curiosity, Chris, how did you get into the habit of using the mouse backwards? I've heard of this before, but I can't imagine why anyone would do it! Indulge my curious mind!

tooki

[Backwards Chris]

Thank you all for your interest in my poor backwards plight, and your suggestions.

I really do think my best bet is some sort of programming solution - I have tried using the mouse the 'right' way, and it requires tremendous concentration. A time-consuming and frustrating endeavour, all told.

Also, for those who asked: I'm not dyslexic, but do ride a skateboard goofy foot, if that means anything. And my mother uses a mouse the same way.

So, whether by nurture or nature, I remain

Yours

Backwards Chris

[CharlesS]

How do I invert a mouse?

[loki74]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

LOL

...and here I started thinking about taking the thing apart and reorienting the sensor. Is that even possible??

[crooner]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

[subego]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

[img]

Creepy.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Backwards Chris

This means my mouse is turned around 180 degrees from the usual position (that is, so that the cord pokes out towards me).

Wow, good luck using the mighty mouse like that...

Originally Posted by Backwards Chris

And my mother uses a mouse the same way.

Damn genes, I know...

-t

[ghporter]

I was going to say to turn the mouse over so the buttons are on the bottom, but the color inverted picture is a much better suggestion.

[Chuckit]

And the winner of the thread is: CharlesS. Thanks for playing, everyone!

[awaspaas]

That's really bizarre. Why would anybody think that moving the mouse down and to the right would move the pointer any direction other than down and to the right? Do you have problems making left turns in your car when you mean to turn right? Do you make the shower colder when you mean to make it hotter? Do you unscrew screws when you mean to tighten them?

Or is it just that your mother taught you how to use a mouse?