- 2005.08.04
Faithful
readers of this column may know that I was the Last Online Mac
Pundit to publicly advocate for a one-button mouse. I wrote several
articles about it, as a matter of fact, until just recently, when I
officially gave up the ghost and became the Last Online Mac Pundit
to Surrender and Declare His Support for the Two Button Mouse.
For example, see Two-Fingered
Trackpad Scrolling Could Give Apple an Excuse to Build a Two-Button
Mouse, where I say, "They wouldn't be surrendering their design
principles; they'd be using them to promote a better, simpler, more
functional mouse with fewer moving parts than anything else on the
market."
I had no idea I had such influence in Cupertino!
I feel kind of like Jon Stewart did when he interviewed Colin
Powell. Stewart asked Powell whether or not "W" knew of the Daily
Show"
- Stewart: "Does he know I exist?"
- Powell: "No, Jon."
- Stewart: [expletive]!
I'd like to ask someone at Apple if Jobs knows I exist, just to
be able to do a Shaternesque "Noooooooo!" when the answer turns out
to be no.
Anyway, this little missive is
about mice, right, and the scroll ball, touch sensitive two buttons
that aren't two buttons, and the pistol-grip pressure sensitive
switches.
As is the case with all pundits, when we finally get what we
want we have to point out all the flaws in it. That's just what we
do (it's in the job description). Not that I actually have the new
mouse to play with, but I'd certainly write a more cogent review if
one of them came across my door (hint, hint).
Okay, so here goes: How easy is it to clean crap out of the
scroll ball compartment? It doesn't look like it would be easily
removable.
Next: How sensitive are the pressure switches? Are you going to
be setting them off all the time?
Also: Is there a wireless version?
Finally: How long (or short) is the cord? Apple used to ship
these ludicrously short cords with the old Blue & White G3 towers.
Now that I've considered all of that, let me be the first (and
probably only) advocate on the Web to recommend that Apple switch
back to the old one-button mouse.
Well designed software shouldn't need extra buttons, right?
Maybe Apple should reconsider....
Sorry folks, it's an ugly job, but someone's gotta do it.
