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Siskomac · Jul 2, 2004, 10:28 PM

The MOUSE! Ugh... I am using my MS IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0.

I set it to high speed, which I am used to, but every time the arrow goes over an icon or the close/dock/rollup buttons, it slows down. There's no exact precision like I had with my IntelliMouse in Windows.

I even downloaded IntelliPoint for Mac and the cursor still slows down when it moves over certain areas of the screen. It's driving me nuts!

I also installed USB Overdrive, but it still does it. Is this an unalterable part of Mac OS X?

wataru · Jul 2, 2004, 10:36 PM

What do you mean it "slows down?" How much RAM do you have?

Siskomac · Jul 2, 2004, 10:41 PM

Originally posted by wataru:
What do you mean it "slows down?" How much RAM do you have?

I mean the speed is fine until the cursor goes over the buttons in the corner or over icons and the like. It's like it slows to make sure you don't accidentally miss a click.

I have 1.25 GB of RAM

msuper69 · Jul 2, 2004, 10:45 PM

My silly old one button Apple mouse doesn't have that problem. Sounds like an MS problem, not an Apple one.

mikemako · Jul 2, 2004, 10:45 PM

I have two cmoputers, one uses an Intellimouse Explorer and the other uses a plain beige Kensington Optical Mouse. The feel of the Kensington (with their "Mouseworks" driver) is much smoother and more precise feeling. If you have a chance you might want to try it out!

wataru · Jul 2, 2004, 11:12 PM

That's very weird. Have you tried a different mouse?

Siskomac · Jul 2, 2004, 11:14 PM

Originally posted by wataru:
That's very weird. Have you tried a different mouse?

I've tried the Apple mouse, the IntelliMouse and an old Logitech. All three optical, all three with the same problem.

wataru · Jul 2, 2004, 11:31 PM

Have you tried, for instance the Apple mouse, with none of the 3rd party mouse drivers installed?

kcmac · Jul 2, 2004, 11:38 PM

For that matter, try them all with no 3rd party drivers installed.

Terri · Jul 2, 2004, 11:47 PM

I use a 3 button Kensington with its drives installed and it doesn't do that. In fact I've never heard of this before.

gthyb · Jul 2, 2004, 11:55 PM

He's not crazy, guys, and its NOT a mouse problem. its an apple "problem". All of Apple's OSes have used mouse acceleration. when the mouse is moved quickly, the mouse speeds up. when it is moved slowly, it slows down for finer movement.

windows uses linear acceleration. the pointer will move the same amount, no matter how fast it it moved.

I built a PC to play counter-strike on way back when, and found myself getting used to the windows mouse. when i went back to my mac, it was maddening. I looked all over to find a way to turn off acceleration. As far as I know, there is no way. Once you get used to it, though, its fine.

-Ryan

graveguy · Jul 3, 2004, 01:31 AM

I agree...I don't think the mouse is actually slowing down because it is hovering over buttons, rather the acceleration curve on the mac is different so it just feels foreign. It is one of the first things I notice when I switch to a PC. It's hard to describe but it just feels wrong. The good news is that you adjust over time (at least I do)...I used to have to use a PC for work and initially I HATED the mouse acceleration and I tried to find ways to change it...after a month or so, I didn't even notice...I don't know if one mouse acceleration curve is better than the other but but I feel for you in having to make the transition, in either direction...It's like going from boxers to briefs or vice versa...

I don't know anything about the MS mouse driver but some drivers will let you tweak the acceleration curve...setting it to a more linear setting might help you adjust...

-GraveGuy

Superchicken · Jul 3, 2004, 02:38 AM

Hmm I never knew this now that I think about it I think I've noticed the diff on windows... always seems sluggish...

Thinine · Jul 3, 2004, 03:08 AM

You'll get used to it.

itai195 · 03:22 AM

To my knowledge the newer versions of Windows have mouse acceleration as well, not so unlike what's in OS X. I never notice this problem anymore when I use Win2k and XP after tweaking some settings. IMO the Apple method is superior, but I can see that it might take some getting used to.

moki · Jul 3, 2004, 03:26 AM

It is programatically possible to turn off this acceleration; I'm sure there are third party apps out there that will do it for you.

CharlesS · Jul 3, 2004, 03:57 AM

Originally posted by Siskomac:
I mean the speed is fine until the cursor goes over the buttons in the corner or over icons and the like. It's like it slows to make sure you don't accidentally miss a click.

I've never noticed this. Must be the pagh wraiths.

Mr Scruff · 01:14 PM

Edit: Oops - I should learn to read...

chabig · Jul 3, 2004, 10:33 AM

He already did. It says so in the very first post.

Chris

wuzup101 · Jul 5, 2004, 01:59 AM

This drove me mad at first too. I have to say though when I was testdriving a 12" PB at my school store the apple method is great for using a trackpad on the PB. However, I do still prefer the windows linear method for using a mouse... I don't need it to slow down... I'm a gamer... my mouse goes where I tell it to! lol

qnxde · Jul 5, 2004, 02:47 AM

Download sidetrack - it will disable the acceleration for trackpads, maybe it works on mouses as well. "Redmond switcher acceleration in the Advanced section".

Gee4orce · Jul 5, 2004, 03:19 AM

The reasons for mouse acceleration becomes apparent when you have to move the pointer across (multiple) 30" display - 7000 odd pixels wide... On a Mac you can just 'flick' the pointer right across multiple screens. I think MS have cottoned onto this idea too. I use PCs and Macs all the time, and I don't notice a particular difference between them.

Is it possible that there's an acceleration control in the 3rd party mouse drivers this guy has got installed ? Maybe it's just set too high. It certainly has to be 'just right' for it to feel natural, otherise it feels like breaking the warp speed barrier - one second your pointer is moving smoothly across the screen, the next it's slammed against the far side (this is on Windows, BTW).

xe0 · Jul 5, 2004, 04:09 AM

I know exactly what you mean when you say the mouse cursor slows down.
I had the same problem when moving from WinXP to OSX.

The short answer is, it is OSX.

I cant provide details other than to say- the cursor acceleration in OSX is very different to the way Windows behaves. To a windows user, the OSX mouse feels like it crawls when you move it slightly, and then it screams when u flick the mouse.

Don't worry, you'll get used to it

One thing I will say is, don't try and fight it by downloading some app to make it more windows like. It's actually quite efficient once you get the hang of it.

On these sort of issues- there is no right or wrong. It's simply what you're used to.