Is Pro Mouse NONLINEAR?

agent smith · June 30, 2003 12:03PM

Hello,

Please help me out with this stuff. A few days ago I bought my first ever mac (iMac G4 800) with some very nice looking Pro Mouse. However, I can't get used to this mouse behaviour. It seems nonlinear... if you know what I mean... PC mice pointer will take the same distance on screen whether you move it fast or slow let's say 3 inches on a table while Pro Mouse will take the longer distance on screen if you move it fast and shorter distance if you move it slow regardless it's still the same 3 inches on the table for both slow and fast movement. Is it a mac-ish behaviour typical to all mac mice or should I get my Pro mouse repaired?

Thanks!

ghost_user_name · June 30, 2003 12:29PM

"Acceleration" is the word you're looking for.

Macs have used cursor acceleration for years... maybe since the very first Mac in '84? I can't recall. Regardless, it's not a bug or anything broken. It's supposed to be that way. Acceleration is generally accepted as a good thing and I seem to recall that there have been studies that show how this improves accuracy in hitting targets on the screen.

I've yet to find anyone that *prefers* the linear mousing that's typical to Windows. In fact, Windows XP has finally actually added cursor acceleration after all these years.

agent smith · June 30, 2003 12:43PM

Great help!! Thank you alot! eXactly - what I meant was the aceleration thing.

In fact I was so frustrated that I would go to a store next day for a 'normal' wheel mouse...

Anyway, I just wish I could somehow switch off the acceleration

\ It still does not appeal to me... sorry.

towel · June 30, 2003 1:25PM

Try it for a few days. Trust me, you'll like it. It's so very nice to have pin-point-fine control over tiny cursor movements, while still being able to send the cursor all the way across the screen with a quick wrist flip. For the same reason, it works quite nice for the odd quake match, once you're used to it. More and better work, with less effort - that's the Macintosh Way.

PS - Congratulations on your new iMac!

ast3r3x · June 30, 2003 2:30PM

it is alot better...haha whenever i'm at school i always have to adjust my wrist movements so i get to the cursor...much more annoying

and by teh way...i wonder if windows being linear was the reason the mouse on windows was always super sensative...i mean so you could get across the screen without moving off the mouse pad

haha man that always bothered me on pc's...i always sent the cursor flying WAY to far

agent smith · June 30, 2003 2:40PM

Thank you guys! I appreciate your help. I will try to get used to it (and like it) and will let you know

Actually I am having also the other issue with my new iMac but I guess I'll start the new topic...

bauman · June 30, 2003 5:08PM

Well, if in a few days you still don't like it, you can download U S B O v e r d r i v e, a shareware program that (among many other things) allows you to alter the amount of acceleration... from 0 to 200%.

Just thought I'd let you know

[Edited for political correctness]

agent smith · June 30, 2003 5:19PM

Thank you bauman, you made my life easier! Having PC and iMAC on the same desk and using them both daily it's not easy to change one's wrist habits... Thank you!

cosmonut · June 30, 2003 5:27PM

Wow, I guess I never really noticed it until now. I guess it is just so intuitive that it's invisible to me.

\

ghost_user_name · June 30, 2003 5:27PM

I would really like to stress that you at least try leaving the default acceleration on your Mac for a week before turning it off. You'll be missing out on another of the time-tested benefits of the Mac OS.

\

Is Pro Mouse NONLINEAR?

Comments