What computer accessory do you feel is the greatest invention?

rhoq

For me, I like the small things.



Although it was originally designed for use with PCs, the 2-button optical mouse with a scroll wheel. A simple device that is so damn helpful, I am really starting to wonder how I have gone so long using the one button Apple optical mouse.



Anyways, now that Apple has an OS that supports right-clicking (OS-X), is there a chance that the new OS-X only machines that will be released in 2003 will come with a 2-button mouse?

amorya

[quote]Originally posted by Rhoq:

<strong>Anyways, now that Apple has an OS that supports right-clicking (OS-X), is there a chance that the new OS-X only machines that will be released in 2003 will come with a 2-button mouse?</strong><hr></blockquote>



I really, really, hope not.



(Don't throw the 'you'd like it if you used it' one at me, btw. I have used it. I use it at college every day. And I prefer the ergonomics of a one button mouse by far. No comparison IMO)



Amorya

chweave1

One button mice are no more/less ergonomic than two+ button mice.



Best invention - MP3 player, specifically, ipod

rick1138

One button mice are superior.Simpler is better.Period.



Best accessory? The teledildonic body suit.

spiffster

This seems cool:



<a href="http://www.wired.com/news/holidays/0,1882,55763,00.html"; target="_blank">Click Here</a>



One thing, where do the DVDs go?

dogcow

The printer.

rhoq

I use a PC at work, and I hate it. I have never liked PCs and I would never own a PC. The only good thing to come from a PC is the 2-button mouse.



I would have never even thought about buying a 2-button mouse for my iMac when I was running MacOS 9. Back then, all you had to do was hold the mouse button down for a second to bring up the contextual menu. OS-X introduced having to press "Control" while pressing your mouse button to "Right Click" and to be honest, even though I got used to it, I didn't like it. Had X kept the same right-click procedure as they had in OS 9, it wouldn't even have been issue.



Now that I am using a Logitech MX-300 optical mouse with my iMac, I love it!



[ 12-04-2002: Message edited by: Rhoq ]</p>

gordy

Now, I'd consider a printer a peripheral, like a scanner, iPod, or a second monitor.



Anyway, I think the scroll wheel is the best invention in the "accessory" arena. On a more extravagant note, glass top computer desks are also sweet.

mrbilldata

The best accessory... anything that uses FW or even better is wireless. :cool:

eman

How can you guys still use a one button mouse? Whenever I have to use my iBook's trackpad or a mouse in the Apple Store I have a fit,

g4dude

[quote]Originally posted by EmAn:

<strong>How can you guys still use a one button mouse? Whenever I have to use my iBook's trackpad or a mouse in the Apple Store I have a fit,</strong><hr></blockquote>



Same. I have a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer and I seriously don't know how I could live without it. I right-click all the time and ctrl-click is just WAY too much of a hassle.

matsu

IF Apple were to switch, that could fvck up a lot of older laptop users when new software inevitably shifts some functions onto the second mouse button. Though I guess it isn't much of an issue on a laptop cause your hands are both there and the keyboard and trackpad are right next to each other -- makes control-clicking pretty easy, iThink.



What would be nice for laptop users would be a little utility that tells a portion of the trackpad to act as a scroll wheel, especially since Apple's trackpads are nice and big. You might even get a little vinyl sticker that segregates part of the pad (visually) for this function. Tastefully done of course.

progmac

i'm glad we have the option of a 2-button mouse and quite a few features supporting it, but i never want apple to sell 2-button mice new with computers. it's not that i don't want a two button mouse, it's that i don't want apple software to be designed with a 2-button mouse in mind because i think that leads to functionality buried in obscure-right click menus and this loses simplicity and consistancy among apps.



however, i think a non-clickable scroll wheel would be a welcome addition to the one button mouse.



[ 12-04-2002: Message edited by: progmac ]</p>

luca

[quote]Originally posted by Rhoq:

<strong>I use a PC at work, and I hate it. I have never liked PCs and I would never own a PC. The only good thing to come from a PC is the 2-button mouse.



I would have never even thought about buying a 2-button mouse for my iMac when I was running MacOS 9. Back then, all you had to do was hold the mouse button down for a second to bring up the contextual menu. OS-X introduced having to press "Control" while pressing your mouse button to "Right Click" and to be honest, even though I got used to it, I didn't like it. Had X kept the same right-click procedure as they had in OS 9, it wouldn't even have been issue.



Now that I am using a Logitech MX-300 optical mouse with my iMac, I love it!



[ 12-04-2002: Message edited by: Rhoq ]</strong><hr></blockquote>



Actually, you can get a contextual menu either way in OS 8-9 or in OS X. If you hold down on a dock icon for a second, the menu will pop up. If you control-click in OS 8-9, similarly, the contextual menu will appear. AFAIK, you've been able to use either method since contextual menus were introduced for the Mac OS.



For the one vs. two button mouse debate, I have to say I prefer a two button. I don't use the right click a whole lot but the scroll wheel is invaluable and I'm also used to clicking the wheel to open a new tab in Chimera. But I think Apple should give you a choice when you buy, instead of making you buy a one button mouse.



But back on track - I think the computer related invention that has had the most impact on the world has been Doug Engelbart's computer interface, including the mouse, which he demoed in 1968. The most useful computer invention is probably the hard drive, by IBM.

luca

[quote]Originally posted by Matsu:

<strong>IF Apple were to switch, that could fvck up a lot of older laptop users when new software inevitably shifts some functions onto the second mouse button.</strong><hr></blockquote>



Of course, if you're using REALLY old laptops, there are two buttons anyway, one behind the trackball and one in front of it... but you can't do contextual menus with them because system 7 doesn't support them.

matsu

I use the scroll wheel a lot too, but at the same time I realize that ergonomically speaking it may be one of the worst mouse developments ever. I guess I'd rather fvck-up the tendons in my wrist/forearm, than move my hand to the keyboard. It's just so convenient, there has to be a better way to realize this. Perhaps touch sensitive areas on the mouse itself. Not like the kensington though, which I hear requires you to actually make the scrolling motion over the sensor, perhaps two active areas on the strip -- simply touching the top initiates the upward scroll, simply touching the bottom starts the downward scroll. I wonder if new drivers for the kensington "might" make it work this way?

alpha mac

[quote]Originally posted by Dogcow:

<strong>The printer.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Same here.