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Mouse accelleration is driving me bonkers!

post #1 of 44
2/21/04 at 2:41am
Thread Starter 
Hey,

Move the mouse slowly and it the cursor moves slowly times 2. Move it fast and it moves ultrafast! What?!

I just want one to one mouse movement. Unfortunatly the preferences pane doesn't give me any options. What can I do?
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post #2 of 44
2/21/04 at 3:30am
Do you really want 1:1 movement? Nobody wants that...

Download USB Overdrive, play with it, then purchase it if you like it.
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post #3 of 44
2/21/04 at 3:37am
1:1 == Yucky!
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post #4 of 44
2/21/04 at 7:07am
What's a good ratio you for you guys?
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post #5 of 44
2/21/04 at 7:11am
Thread Starter 
I want a linear curve of acceleration is what I mean. Not a logarithmic one

I'll try out the USB thing, but does it work with my bluetooth mouse?
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post #6 of 44
2/21/04 at 8:14am
Wow, I have never seen anyone prefer the old Windows-style linear acceleration over the curved Mac-style acceleration.

Maybe you should give yourself a week or so to try it and get used to the way it works on Macs?

USB Overdrive should work with any mouse.
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post #7 of 44
2/21/04 at 9:59am
This is one of the main things that bug me about OS X. OS 9 didn't have weird acceleration like this, why did Apple decide to put it in? The Windows/OS 9 "linear" acceleration feels so much more natural, I don't understand why someone would want it different. It seems to be harder to play 3d shooters or do detailed graphics work. It sucks I have to use USB overdrive just to get it right.
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post #8 of 44
2/21/04 at 10:06am
Quote:
Originally posted by eVo
This is one of the main things that bug me about OS X. OS 9 didn't have weird acceleration like this, why did Apple decide to put it in? The Windows/OS 9 "linear" acceleration feels so much more natural, I don't understand why someone would want it different. It seems to be harder to play 3d shooters or do detailed graphics work. It sucks I have to use USB overdrive just to get it right.

I think I disagree with everything single thing you said.
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post #9 of 44
2/21/04 at 11:38am
Quote:
Originally posted by eVo
This is one of the main things that bug me about OS X. OS 9 didn't have weird acceleration like this, why did Apple decide to put it in? The Windows/OS 9 "linear" acceleration feels so much more natural, I don't understand why someone would want it different. It seems to be harder to play 3d shooters or do detailed graphics work. It sucks I have to use USB overdrive just to get it right.

I definately disagree with everything you said.
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post #10 of 44
2/21/04 at 11:41am
I can't believe this thread actually exists.
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post #11 of 44
2/21/04 at 4:14pm
What the hell? OS X's mouse acceleration is AWESOME and efficient as well.
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post #12 of 44
2/21/04 at 4:20pm
I think some mice have different accelerations as well. When I got my MX700 to replace my MX500 a few days ago, it seems that the acceleration was accentuated - faster when moving fast, slower when moving slow. But I am getting used to it.

That's my advice - just get used to it. It'll only take a few days.
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post #13 of 44
2/21/04 at 4:34pm
I have a kensington mouse and the mouseworks software lets to adjust the acceleration to exactly the way you like it, complete with a graph and everything, very nice.
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"Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school." -- Albert Einstein
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post #14 of 44
2/21/04 at 5:33pm
I didn't know there was a difference. OS 9 / OS X feel the same. Someone explain the difference.
Nano
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post #15 of 44
2/21/04 at 5:35pm
When I switched to that logitech mouse the same thing happened to me...
It went REALLY fast compared to the stock apple mouse...yeah, REALLY fast.
Every jumbled pile of person has a thinking part that wonders what the part that isn't thinking isn't thinking of... -TMBG
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Every jumbled pile of person has a thinking part that wonders what the part that isn't thinking isn't thinking of... -TMBG
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post #16 of 44
2/21/04 at 5:44pm
Quote:
Originally posted by JohnHenry
When I switched to that logitech mouse the same thing happened to me...
It went REALLY fast compared to the stock apple mouse...yeah, REALLY fast.

Probably because Logitech uses a super-precise 800 dpi sensor, whereas Apple has a 400 dpi sensor. Therefore, the Logitech will go twice as fast unless you turn down the tracking speed.

I have to set tracking speed to the highest setting when using an Apple mouse, but with my Logitech, it's on the fourth-slowest setting (closer to the left end of the slider than the right).
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post #17 of 44
2/21/04 at 9:54pm
Quote:
Originally posted by eVo
This is one of the main things that bug me about OS X. OS 9 didn't have weird acceleration like this, why did Apple decide to put it in? The Windows/OS 9 "linear" acceleration feels so much more natural, I don't understand why someone would want it different. It seems to be harder to play 3d shooters or do detailed graphics work. It sucks I have to use USB overdrive just to get it right.

There is something wrong with this dude. Windows acceleration sucks. I really like the way OS X does it. I didn't mind OS 9, but it did take a while to get used to doing things in X.
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post #18 of 44
2/22/04 at 9:59am
You can use this site to help test your mouses acceleration.
http://www.stopesso.com/funstuff/spank.html

(Not plugging the site, I just like the music. Anyone know where its from?)

Dobby.
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post #19 of 44
2/22/04 at 10:59am
The music is from Rapper's Delight, an old skool rap from the late 70's by The Sugarhill Gang.

w3rd y0.

A hip, hop, hippa, a-hippa to the hip hip hoppin you don't stop the rockin to the bang bang boogy say up jump the boogy to the rhythm of the boogity bee.
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post #20 of 44
2/22/04 at 11:03am
Wow, I didn't realize so many people disagreed with me. I guess I've just never really given OS X's acceleration a shot. I'm so used to the OS 9/Windows linear acceleration that OS X's feels so awkward. As soon as I try it for like 5 minutes, I end up getting frustrated and using USB overdrive to alter the acceleration. I've been using USB Overdrive for OS X since it first came out.

What are the real benefits of using OS X's acceleration? How long it did take for you people to get used to it?
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post #21 of 44
2/22/04 at 4:43pm
Quote:
Originally posted by Brad

USB Overdrive should work with any mouse.

Works with any USB mouse. Sadly it does not work with any Bluetooth mouse. Yet another reason to avoid Bluetooth mice.
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post #22 of 44
2/22/04 at 4:47pm
Quote:
Originally posted by eVo
Wow, I didn't realize so many people disagreed with me. I guess I've just never really given OS X's acceleration a shot. I'm so used to the OS 9/Windows linear acceleration that OS X's feels so awkward.

Was OS 9's mouse acceleration linear? I know it felt different (arguably better), but I don't think it was linear. It didn't feel like Windows.
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post #23 of 44
2/22/04 at 5:05pm
I didn't think OS 9 was linear either...that is one of the things I disagreed with, but perhaps I'm wrong. Where is Brad or Kichacha when you need him?
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post #24 of 44
2/22/04 at 5:17pm
All this talk about mouse acceleration got to me and I went and bought an MX500...and I used to think 1-button was good...'till I got myself a 3-button mouse...and now 8! It's actually more like 5. I use the two side-buttons for Exposé and they also work well in games like Diablo 2, UT2k4 and others.

Mouse acceleration hasn't changed one bit...still as good as the last mouse I had.

It's great...I don't know how I'd live without this many buttons now.
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post #25 of 44
2/22/04 at 5:18pm
Quote:
Originally posted by Eugene
Was OS 9's mouse acceleration linear? I know it felt different (arguably better), but I don't think it was linear. It didn't feel like Windows.

Ok, maybe it wasn't linear, but I always thought it felt better and more like Windows than X's acceleration.
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post #26 of 44
2/22/04 at 7:18pm
"better and more like Windows"

Contradiction in terms? XP is much, much better than previous versions of Windows, but OS 9 and OS X are still better IMO. They both use the same logarithmic acceleration curve, but the profiles of the curves seem to be different. OS X feels slower at top acceleration than OS 9, that is, the curve is shallower. That's probably the problem we're talking about. But I'm fairly positive that OS 9 had non-linear acceleration, and felt nothing like Windows's mouse movement.

I always hated, and still do hate others' Windows computers when a slight twitch of my finger sends the pointer half way across the earth. Small movements feel exaggerated in Windows, making more precise control more difficult for me, and it's essential for the drawing I do.
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post #27 of 44
2/22/04 at 8:07pm
Yeah, OS 9 and OS X have very similar tracking curves and it only felt slightly different using one over the other. I have found that you have to play with the tracking speed according to your monitor resolution and what works well in one setup, will be painful in another.

Using older versions of windows was always a pain when trying to hit small targets, but I found that it feels like using a trackpad on a mac. When you're doing minute movements on my old powerbook, I find the cursor jumps too far though the full screen tracking is set well.
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post #28 of 44
2/22/04 at 10:14pm
Quote:
Originally posted by dobby
You can use this site to help test your mouses acceleration.
http://www.stopesso.com/funstuff/spank.html

(Not plugging the site, I just like the music. Anyone know where its from?)

Dobby.

Wheee... 763 MPH!!! It's just like that penguin game...
Kappa Rho Alpha Theta Zeta Omega Nu Epsilon
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Kappa Rho Alpha Theta Zeta Omega Nu Epsilon
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post #29 of 44
2/23/04 at 3:55pm
Quote:
Originally posted by bauman
Wheee... 763 MPH!!! It's just like that penguin game...

I only managed to get 273...I suck!
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post #30 of 44
2/23/04 at 4:06pm
Quote:
Originally posted by Eudaimic
Hey,

Move the mouse slowly and it the cursor moves slowly times 2. Move it fast and it moves ultrafast! What?!

I just want one to one mouse movement. Unfortunatly the preferences pane doesn't give me any options. What can I do?

I actually agree. I like Windows acceleration better. Sorry.
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post #31 of 44
2/23/04 at 5:23pm
Quote:
Originally posted by EDS66
I actually agree. I like Windows acceleration better. Sorry.

Don't be sorry, I feel sorry for you having to use the retard way. What are you going to do in XP? I don't think even ME uses linear.
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post #32 of 44
2/23/04 at 5:34pm
Quote:
Originally posted by ast3r3x
Don't be sorry, I feel sorry for you having to use the retard way. What are you going to do in XP? I don't think even ME uses linear.

Using pejorative and condescending terms like "retard" (sic) to describe one's preferences is not nice.

Subjectively, Windows mouse acceleration feels more responsive, faster, easier. That's all.
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post #33 of 44
2/23/04 at 5:51pm
Quote:
Originally posted by Luca Rescigno
The music is from Rapper's Delight, an old skool rap from the late 70's by The Sugarhill Gang.

Close...it's Good Times by a group called Chic
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post #34 of 44
2/23/04 at 6:26pm
Quote:
Originally posted by EDS66
Subjectively, Windows mouse acceleration feels more responsive, faster, easier. That's all.

Well, yes, at lower mouse speeds, the cursor is the same speed. It's a 1-to-1 ratio regardless of how fast or slow you move the mouse. That doesn't mean it's better.

Why is the Mac way better? Even Microsoft has conceded that the Mac way is better and implemented a similar curve to the acceleration in Windows XP.

Precision. Simply put, by slowing the cursor, it's easier to settle on small targets on the screen.

This is loosely related to Fitt's Law (the time to aquire a target is proportional to the distance to the target and inversely proportional to its size). By using an acceleration curve like Mac OS X, you effectively increase the size of the target as you move your mouse slower in approaching it. The result is a target that is easier to hit and less likely to overshoot.
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post #35 of 44
2/23/04 at 6:57pm
Quote:
Originally posted by EDS66
Using pejorative and condescending terms like "retard" (sic) to describe one's preferences is not nice.

Well I'll apologize just because I didn't mean to imply you are retarded just my hatred for 1:1.

Is scrolling subject to the same curve? I was trying and it didn't seem like it was 1 for 1 when scrolling in safari.
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post #36 of 44
2/24/04 at 7:15am
If you just want to adjust the speed of the mouse (beyond the limited speed Apple provides), there's the free MouseZoom.

That may help a bit.

Unfortunately, MouseZoom doesn't yet include the ability to control the acceleration curve. Maybe next version...
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post #37 of 44
2/24/04 at 9:32am
Thread Starter 
Jesus Christ people! Grow the **** up! You're spending your lives arguing over mouse speeds!! Jebus!

Thank you, the USB thing did it for me. With the default OS X acceleration my wrist gets totally busted after even short periods of time. I prefer the Windows way (And yes, I've tried getting used to it for 2.5 months...)
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post #38 of 44
2/24/04 at 10:43am
Quote:
Originally posted by Eudaimic
Jesus Christ people! Grow the **** up! You're spending your lives arguing over mouse speeds!! Jebus!

Thank you, the USB thing did it for me. With the default OS X acceleration my wrist gets totally busted after even short periods of time. I prefer the Windows way (And yes, I've tried getting used to it for 2.5 months...)

So why did you start this thread? Put up with the OS X way, get yourself software that adjusts it or get the **** outta here.
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post #39 of 44
2/24/04 at 10:52am
Thread Starter 
"So why did you start this thread? Put up with the OS X way, get yourself software that adjusts it or get the **** outta here."

Ehh... I started the thread so I could get some software and adjust it... I thought that was blatantly obvious.
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post #40 of 44
2/24/04 at 10:53am
Quote:
Originally posted by Eudaimic
Jesus Christ people! Grow the **** up! You're spending your lives arguing over mouse speeds!! Jebus!

Thank you, the USB thing did it for me. With the default OS X acceleration my wrist gets totally busted after even short periods of time. I prefer the Windows way (And yes, I've tried getting used to it for 2.5 months...)

You started the damn thread! "Busts your wrist"? Wtf does that mean? You have to move your wrist less I'd think with 1:1. Maybe I was right about what I said earlier.
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