You could adjust that through the System preferences panel quite easily.
Umm, you can change the scrolling speed, double-click speed but not the click-and hold speed. Anyway this may get confusing when older people click for longer. I've only seen the click and hold used in the dock. Anywhere else and it will be more confusing, having the same button with no modifiers doing the same function. Imagine explaining to a novice:
Right click
Click and hold until you see a menu.
I know what I think is easier, although I like a one button mouse and a control key. I have an eight button mouse but haven't used it at all in the first two days of my laptop's life.
Ok, so I don't have to change my SOP for unpacking new Apple hardware:
1. Open box. Remove instruction manuals, cables, and packaging foam on top.
2. Remove mouse. Smash it to bits with a hammer or similar instrument. Carefully collect pieces and place them in trash can.
3. Continue with unpacking as normal.
It's difficult to imagine using anything less than a three button mouse w/ scroll wheel (3rd button is the wheel). OS X is designed for a two-button mouse w/ scroll wheel.
Once I used Expose with a 5 button mouse, I couldn't imagine going back to a three button mouse!
Every hard-core computer use has their own favorite mouse, so Apple could even ship computers without a mouse and let the user buy one. But that piss off the casual computer users, so I guess Apple needs a default mouse. My vote is for a three-button scroll-wheel mouse, but it doesn't really matter since I'll throw it out anyways.
ha ha !! ... I skipped the G4 and had been working with an upgraded PM 8600 all the time, using a Kensington Orbit, a 2-button ADB trackball. Now in 2003 when i got my G5 i gave Apple's mouse a try... Man, this thing sucked ... slow beyond belief to begin with.
I clearly think that this is the product to beat. The overall layout and placement of the 4 buttons around the ball is perfect and their handling completely smooth. I also believe that the scrollring (around the ball) is the superior concept. In quicktime and FCP by default its scrolls (i.e. scrubs) horizontally, in other apps of course vertically. There's a button in the menu bar to switch the dimension.
The 4 buttons are assignable - systemwide and app-specific. So in my browsers i have the 2 lower buttons assigned as you would expect. The upper right button closes tabs and the upper left button opens a new (empty) window... works faster for me rather than using the keyboard. As well you can assign the simultaneous clicking of two buttons but only in a few apps i have applied that, usually for quitting them.
I got the impression unfortunately that Kensington does a poor job with giving that device a proper marketing. So for a long time you couldn't even get it officially in Europe. Maybe Apple should have a closer look at that device - of course not in terms of introducing a new default mouse in that fashion - no opinion what that should be - but i would love to see Apple coming with a variety of state of art input devices as BTO option.
Besides, if Apple's going to start using contextual menus, they NEED a right button.
I think Apple should give a CHOICE to users. Maybe ship the KB and mouse seperately. Maybe they should offer various mouse and keyboard options like from other vendors.
Almost no other company lets you do that! It'd be "different"!
Apple forces us into all kinds of uncomfortable buying positions (PPC, not enough drive bays, etc).. why not make up for it by letting us choose our own peripherals?
As many people seem to think, we are "paying" for that mouse and keyboard, so why don't we get what we want?
Where? Right there on the System preferences panel. They could add an emulated right click just there where you could adjust the speed. Very easy.
You can still choose peripherals as we speak, just go out and buy it. You don't need to wait for Apple to give you a multi-button mouse.
it has saved my hand.... you know the scroll buttons are built into the gui in safari hold down your mac mouse and let it scroll for you, much easier!!!!!
as an option ok.... as standard HELL NO! should apple start inventing viruses and anit virus programs so you people can run all those programs you are so used to? no.... then why make everything to cater to windows people who use crap and think its good for them....... one button till death do us part!
rest easy one buttoneers their are so many people that have used mac for so long that love it the way it is that they would raise so much hell if it were different............. so we will have both im sure
EXACTLY! The two button thing doesn't have to be a HARDWARE solution. It can be emulated with SOFTWARE quite easily. Think outside the box, people.
Why did Apple disable the ability to use Command Click to grab and drag the contents of a window around. I don't need a scroll wheel if I can command click and drag to scroll the window.
The UI principle is simple and is backed by Fitz's law. Using Command Click is somewhat like grabbing the scrollbar scroll widget and dragging it to scroll the window. However, when using command click, the widget is the size of the entire window and is immediately under the mouse cursor. This makes selecting it far easier and faster than trying to click the small scroll pill.
Does anybody actually use the scrollbars anymore? I'm a keyboard nut and use page up, page down, home, and end constantly. I think I only use the scrollbar to visually see how long or wide a document is based on the size of the pill.
Well, duh, I didn't say it was there right now. Said it could be there real easily. Or could not. You might want to check again in case it suddenly appears. hehe
Here's my problem: If the mouse is in my left hand, I can keep my right hand on the arrow keys for scrolling, which is fine until I need to ctl-click. If the mouse is in my right hand, it's fine until I want to scroll.
Does anyone know how I might be able to get the enter button to function as a control button. If that is possible, it would be great.
I use the command buttons on either side of the keyboard all of the time. The enter button usually does the same thing as the return button and they are right next to eachother. I know there is a reason for it, but I've never understood why.
A while ago there were some pictures of Apple patenting a click-wheel mouse. Remember?
With Apple's current obsession of iPod related stylings in non-iPod products (e.g. Mac mini) wouldn't it make sense if Apple would introduce a click-wheel mouse? Afterall they patented that so no one else could copy it.
It would basically look like the current Apple mouse, but have an iPod click-wheel at the front.
Scrubbing around in circular motion would do the same action as a scroll wheel.
Pressing down anywhere on the scrub area would do the left-click.
Pressing down the button in the center of the click-wheel would do the right-click.
The click-wheel actually has 4 buttons underneath it, so in theory this could be a 5 button mouse (4 under the scrub area and 1 in the center), but I think it would be tedious to have to use the button underneath the 9 o'clock position as the left click exclusively and the button underneath the 3 o'clock position as the right button. Think about it: If you're scrubbing around scrolling in a document stopping at e.g. the 2 o'clock position it would be cumbersome to lift the finger and go all the way back to the 9 o'clock position for doing a left click. Hence I believe that all 4 buttons underneath the scrub area would register as the same left click and you can just press down wherever you are on your scrub area.
Well, duh, I didn't say it was there right now. Said it could be there real easily. Or could not. You might want to check again in case it suddenly appears. hehe
Also I think if it's too quick it will cause confusion. I'n not a fan of click-and-hold. Control click is a lot better.
This article also mentions new airport base stations. I for one would like Apple to include LAN ports on the airport extreme base station (4 would be nice). A la every other wireless router out there.
This article also mentions new airport base stations. I for one would like Apple to include LAN ports on the airport extreme base station (4 would be nice). A la every other wireless router out there.
Why? If you need a hub, they're cheap, and you can scale up to exactly what you want. If you don't need a hub, then you aren't paying for it. I have a WiFi router with five LAN ports - I use one.
Not only that, but then your hub isn't tied to the WiFi functionality. If, as happened with 802.11b -> 11g, you are looking to buy a new base station, you don't have to reconfigure everything else, just drop in the new access point and go.
I honestly don't see the reason for WiFi routers that have umpteen ports, but maybe that's just me. *shrug*
I want a broadband modem built in, I don't want to have to have a modem and the base station. That's why I bought a netgear wireless router, an all-in-one solution.
I'll never understand that philosophy, to be honest. Technologies change too rapidly to lock yourself into one all-in-one solution for no good reason, in my opinion. So what you're saying is that you'd prefer to have to buy a whole new setup if, say, you were forced to move to cable modem because you moved? Or because you wanted to upgrade your WiFi speed?
This is one area where plug and play is so braindead simple that I don't see where there's any advantage of an all-in-one over a modem, a WiFi, and a hub. Hubs are cheap, and plentiful. Pick the upstream connection you need, the WiFi station you want, and slap a hub on there. Voila. Mix and match to meet your needs and desires.
I'll never understand that philosophy, to be honest. Technologies change too rapidly to lock yourself into one all-in-one solution for no good reason, in my opinion. So what you're saying is that you'd prefer to have to buy a whole new setup if, say, you were forced to move to cable modem because you moved? Or because you wanted to upgrade your WiFi speed?
This is one area where plug and play is so braindead simple that I don't see where there's any advantage of an all-in-one over a modem, a WiFi, and a hub. Hubs are cheap, and plentiful. Pick the upstream connection you need, the WiFi station you want, and slap a hub on there. Voila. Mix and match to meet your needs and desires.
My problem is space and aesthetics. A modem and a router is much less desirable, two plugs needed, more cables hanging around etc. I'm sticking to my set-up for years at least. The Netgear router is cheaper than the AirPort BaseStation so I saved money ands got an all-in-one. It's Apple that should be offering this simplicity.
So then they offer a DSL package... and a cable modem package... and oh, not every DSL or cable provider is compatible with the others, so you have to have one for each... and then when 802.11g gets usurped you have to buy a whole new setup just to make sure that you can get the higher speeds... :P
Too many variables.
Orthogonality of design is important in networking as in most other things... the connection to your ISP has nothing to do with the WiFi technology, has nothing to with how many cabled computers you have... they're all independent, and should remain so in my mind. Let each be addressed by a solution that meets that part of the puzzle, and lets the rest stand on their own.
*shrug*
But if your setup is truly something you're not going to bother upgrading to 802.11n or various MAN technologies coming out, and you're not planning on moving anywhere in that time frame, then you'll be fine.
And before anyone jumps in with the iMac as the counter example of the all-in-one, I'd point out that with a couple of exceptions (display, graphics card), there are a number of highly useful ways to expand the system without replacing it: the ports. With networking gear, the Ethernet ports *ARE* the expansion mechanism, and they're everywhere. This makes it extremely easy to put together the pieces you need, and adapt as your needs change.
Comments
Originally posted by monkeyastronaut
You could adjust that through the System preferences panel quite easily.
Umm, you can change the scrolling speed, double-click speed but not the click-and hold speed. Anyway this may get confusing when older people click for longer. I've only seen the click and hold used in the dock. Anywhere else and it will be more confusing, having the same button with no modifiers doing the same function. Imagine explaining to a novice:
Right click
Click and hold until you see a menu.
I know what I think is easier, although I like a one button mouse and a control key. I have an eight button mouse but haven't used it at all in the first two days of my laptop's life.
Originally posted by jaknudsen
Or $7 at radio shack.
Exactly: 6-Ft. Gold-Series AV Digital Optical Cable. Works great.
Originally posted by Junkyard Dawg
A two-button mouse? From Apple? LMAO!
Ok, so I don't have to change my SOP for unpacking new Apple hardware:
1. Open box. Remove instruction manuals, cables, and packaging foam on top.
2. Remove mouse. Smash it to bits with a hammer or similar instrument. Carefully collect pieces and place them in trash can.
3. Continue with unpacking as normal.
It's difficult to imagine using anything less than a three button mouse w/ scroll wheel (3rd button is the wheel). OS X is designed for a two-button mouse w/ scroll wheel.
Once I used Expose with a 5 button mouse, I couldn't imagine going back to a three button mouse!
Every hard-core computer use has their own favorite mouse, so Apple could even ship computers without a mouse and let the user buy one. But that piss off the casual computer users, so I guess Apple needs a default mouse. My vote is for a three-button scroll-wheel mouse, but it doesn't really matter since I'll throw it out anyways.
ha ha !! ... I skipped the G4 and had been working with an upgraded PM 8600 all the time, using a Kensington Orbit, a 2-button ADB trackball. Now in 2003 when i got my G5 i gave Apple's mouse a try... Man, this thing sucked ... slow beyond belief to begin with.
After 2 days i couldn't take it anymore and ordered a Kensington Expert Mouse Trackball. Better pics here
I clearly think that this is the product to beat. The overall layout and placement of the 4 buttons around the ball is perfect and their handling completely smooth. I also believe that the scrollring (around the ball) is the superior concept. In quicktime and FCP by default its scrolls (i.e. scrubs) horizontally, in other apps of course vertically. There's a button in the menu bar to switch the dimension.
The 4 buttons are assignable - systemwide and app-specific. So in my browsers i have the 2 lower buttons assigned as you would expect. The upper right button closes tabs and the upper left button opens a new (empty) window... works faster for me rather than using the keyboard. As well you can assign the simultaneous clicking of two buttons but only in a few apps i have applied that, usually for quitting them.
I got the impression unfortunately that Kensington does a poor job with giving that device a proper marketing. So for a long time you couldn't even get it officially in Europe. Maybe Apple should have a closer look at that device - of course not in terms of introducing a new default mouse in that fashion - no opinion what that should be - but i would love to see Apple coming with a variety of state of art input devices as BTO option.
Originally posted by slughead
Where?
Besides, if Apple's going to start using contextual menus, they NEED a right button.
I think Apple should give a CHOICE to users. Maybe ship the KB and mouse seperately. Maybe they should offer various mouse and keyboard options like from other vendors.
Almost no other company lets you do that! It'd be "different"!
Apple forces us into all kinds of uncomfortable buying positions (PPC, not enough drive bays, etc).. why not make up for it by letting us choose our own peripherals?
As many people seem to think, we are "paying" for that mouse and keyboard, so why don't we get what we want?
Where? Right there on the System preferences panel. They could add an emulated right click just there where you could adjust the speed. Very easy.
You can still choose peripherals as we speak, just go out and buy it.
Originally posted by Catman4d2
it has saved my hand.... you know the scroll buttons are built into the gui in safari hold down your mac mouse and let it scroll for you, much easier!!!!!
as an option ok.... as standard HELL NO! should apple start inventing viruses and anit virus programs so you people can run all those programs you are so used to? no.... then why make everything to cater to windows people who use crap and think its good for them....... one button till death do us part!
rest easy one buttoneers their are so many people that have used mac for so long that love it the way it is that they would raise so much hell if it were different............. so we will have both im sure
EXACTLY! The two button thing doesn't have to be a HARDWARE solution. It can be emulated with SOFTWARE quite easily. Think outside the box, people.
Originally posted by monkeyastronaut
Where? Right there on the System preferences panel. They could add an emulated right click just there where you could adjust the speed. Very easy.
You can still choose peripherals as we speak, just go out and buy it.
but it's not there now.
Why did Apple disable the ability to use Command Click to grab and drag the contents of a window around. I don't need a scroll wheel if I can command click and drag to scroll the window.
The UI principle is simple and is backed by Fitz's law. Using Command Click is somewhat like grabbing the scrollbar scroll widget and dragging it to scroll the window. However, when using command click, the widget is the size of the entire window and is immediately under the mouse cursor. This makes selecting it far easier and faster than trying to click the small scroll pill.
Does anybody actually use the scrollbars anymore? I'm a keyboard nut and use page up, page down, home, and end constantly. I think I only use the scrollbar to visually see how long or wide a document is based on the size of the pill.
Originally posted by MacCrazy
but it's not there now.
Well, duh, I didn't say it was there right now. Said it could be there real easily. Or could not. You might want to check again in case it suddenly appears. hehe
Does anyone know how I might be able to get the enter button to function as a control button. If that is possible, it would be great.
I use the command buttons on either side of the keyboard all of the time. The enter button usually does the same thing as the return button and they are right next to eachother. I know there is a reason for it, but I've never understood why.
A while ago there were some pictures of Apple patenting a click-wheel mouse. Remember?
With Apple's current obsession of iPod related stylings in non-iPod products (e.g. Mac mini) wouldn't it make sense if Apple would introduce a click-wheel mouse? Afterall they patented that so no one else could copy it.
It would basically look like the current Apple mouse, but have an iPod click-wheel at the front.
Scrubbing around in circular motion would do the same action as a scroll wheel.
Pressing down anywhere on the scrub area would do the left-click.
Pressing down the button in the center of the click-wheel would do the right-click.
The click-wheel actually has 4 buttons underneath it, so in theory this could be a 5 button mouse (4 under the scrub area and 1 in the center), but I think it would be tedious to have to use the button underneath the 9 o'clock position as the left click exclusively and the button underneath the 3 o'clock position as the right button. Think about it: If you're scrubbing around scrolling in a document stopping at e.g. the 2 o'clock position it would be cumbersome to lift the finger and go all the way back to the 9 o'clock position for doing a left click. Hence I believe that all 4 buttons underneath the scrub area would register as the same left click and you can just press down wherever you are on your scrub area.
What do you think?
Originally posted by monkeyastronaut
Well, duh, I didn't say it was there right now. Said it could be there real easily. Or could not. You might want to check again in case it suddenly appears. hehe
Also I think if it's too quick it will cause confusion. I'n not a fan of click-and-hold. Control click is a lot better.
Originally posted by Gmac
This article also mentions new airport base stations. I for one would like Apple to include LAN ports on the airport extreme base station (4 would be nice). A la every other wireless router out there.
They do, and have for... well, months at least.
Originally posted by Kickaha
They do, and have for... well, months at least.
More than one is what I meant.
Not only that, but then your hub isn't tied to the WiFi functionality. If, as happened with 802.11b -> 11g, you are looking to buy a new base station, you don't have to reconfigure everything else, just drop in the new access point and go.
I honestly don't see the reason for WiFi routers that have umpteen ports, but maybe that's just me. *shrug*
This is one area where plug and play is so braindead simple that I don't see where there's any advantage of an all-in-one over a modem, a WiFi, and a hub. Hubs are cheap, and plentiful. Pick the upstream connection you need, the WiFi station you want, and slap a hub on there. Voila. Mix and match to meet your needs and desires.
Originally posted by Kickaha
I'll never understand that philosophy, to be honest. Technologies change too rapidly to lock yourself into one all-in-one solution for no good reason, in my opinion. So what you're saying is that you'd prefer to have to buy a whole new setup if, say, you were forced to move to cable modem because you moved? Or because you wanted to upgrade your WiFi speed?
This is one area where plug and play is so braindead simple that I don't see where there's any advantage of an all-in-one over a modem, a WiFi, and a hub. Hubs are cheap, and plentiful. Pick the upstream connection you need, the WiFi station you want, and slap a hub on there. Voila. Mix and match to meet your needs and desires.
My problem is space and aesthetics. A modem and a router is much less desirable, two plugs needed, more cables hanging around etc. I'm sticking to my set-up for years at least. The Netgear router is cheaper than the AirPort BaseStation so I saved money ands got an all-in-one. It's Apple that should be offering this simplicity.
Too many variables.
Orthogonality of design is important in networking as in most other things... the connection to your ISP has nothing to do with the WiFi technology, has nothing to with how many cabled computers you have... they're all independent, and should remain so in my mind. Let each be addressed by a solution that meets that part of the puzzle, and lets the rest stand on their own.
*shrug*
But if your setup is truly something you're not going to bother upgrading to 802.11n or various MAN technologies coming out, and you're not planning on moving anywhere in that time frame, then you'll be fine.
And before anyone jumps in with the iMac as the counter example of the all-in-one, I'd point out that with a couple of exceptions (display, graphics card), there are a number of highly useful ways to expand the system without replacing it: the ports. With networking gear, the Ethernet ports *ARE* the expansion mechanism, and they're everywhere. This makes it extremely easy to put together the pieces you need, and adapt as your needs change.