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General discussion

About the McBook having one mouse button

Jan 25, 2006 1:06PM PST

I'm a little behind on things, but I thought I would weigh in on this topic that at least had Molly worked up.

Anyways, here's my thought on keeping the one mouse button on a laptop (in this case the McBook): it makes it so much simpler to use and adjust to (for those going from normal mouse to trackpad) with only one button to worry about your thumb hitting than the two button setups offered by feces, er, PC's (har!). Anytime that I end up using any Windows-based laptop, I always have to use two hands to ensure that I don't get frustrated by hitting the wrong button constantly.

If you want viable two-button capabilities on a laptop, I'm a proponent of buying a cheap ($20 or less) third-party mouse and carrying that around. Sure, it's one more thing that you have to lug around with your lappy, but in use, it is far more comfortable to use than a multi-button trackpad (or even nub-thingy).

Alright, that's my two cents. Anybody else have some input?

-Ryan

Discussion is locked

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Really???
Jan 26, 2006 8:09AM PST

It is that hard to learn to use two buttons? I have always been a pc person. But I can't imagine not having two buttons.

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it's not just the buttons...
Jan 26, 2006 8:50AM PST

It's the fact that you are using a trackpad with your fingers and clicking with your thumb. As opposed, of course, to moving your hand and clicking with your fingers. I have seen people practically throw laptops because it's that different for them. After some sitting time, I adjust to it, but personally, I can do better (on an Apple laptop) having my left hand hovering around the control key so I can have my right click function when needed.

Does that sound better?

-Ryan

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There is a solution to this...
Jan 26, 2006 11:18AM PST

Here is what I think apple SHOULD HAVE done. I think they should've done a mighty mouse sort of thing, where it's one button, but it senses where you click. Of course you could disable this, and have it all be one button, or two.

Besides, even when I had my PC laptops for years (i'm a Mac user now) I always have used my thumb to click.

Personally, that would've kept the one button fans happy, and the two button fans happy as well.

Beside the fact, I think the McBook Pro is a cool laptop, but needs a new name.

Would you like fries with your McBook?

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Good Idea
Jan 26, 2006 11:50AM PST

I hadn't thought of that, however, I think it could still cause issues. (Sorry if I'm sounding like all I do is whine by this point, I don't mean to)
I don't know about anybody else, but when I've tried using a Mighty Mouse in the past, I couldn't get the things to do what I wanted them to do...other than move and click the side buttons (oh, and the scroll ball works well). I try left-clicking, but then I can't drag anything...I try to right-click and I left-click or nothing happens...

I think also parallels the classic "tap to click" feature on trackpads, which causes people like me to accidentally click all over the place. This is especially true if I'm mousing around the screen figuring out where I was going to.

Perhaps I just need somebody to teach me how to properly use touch-sensitive things...

Yeah, McBook Pro is definitely weak. I only hope it doesn't get worse when they rename the iBooks (regular McBook? McBook without cheese?).
And yes, I would like fries with that.
Grin

-Ryan

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One button sucks
Feb 10, 2006 6:40PM PST

It's the reason I haven't bought a apple laptop. I tried using a one button mouse when I first got my powermac and felt like paddling out with one arm. It's not about getting used to it, it's about potential. Your potential skyrockets when you can right click. It's like adding a degree of freedom. And furthermore..., no, I'll just stop here.

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Two-button Kensington mouse for Apple
Feb 11, 2006 3:22AM PST
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Mighty Mouse
Feb 11, 2006 3:34AM PST

I sort of agree - the mighty mouse isa little strange with the two buttons. I got it for my Powerbook about two months ago, and I now can't tell the difference from when I use it vs. my Logitech on my Dell at home. I think that is just takes some getting used to.

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(NT) (NT) I'm all about having 2 buttons
Feb 10, 2006 10:27PM PST
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Confusion
Feb 11, 2006 3:46AM PST

Since I have been a PC user all my life I can't weigh in effectively on this discussion. However, the brief time in high school that I used a Mac, I did enjoy it. At the time though, I was only using a terminal window to code C++ apps, and didn't need anything fancy, so I never really got to explore.

However, on my PC's, I could not imagine not having a right click, that would drive me insane!

However, when I am explaining to someone how to do something it is hard a lot of times to tell them to right click, then left click, then right click (and so on), they always get confused.

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Use the Apple mouse as art, 'cause that's all it's good for.
Feb 11, 2006 4:23AM PST

The very first thing any professional Mac user does is trash the piece of crap that Apple tries to call a mouse and buy a proper three button mouse.

I've made a mobile out of discarded Apple mice at my workplace in the past. Few people using professional graphics applications likes them. The whole carriage-being-the-mouse-button is an absurd design and doesn't work well for certain hand sizes when trying to move the mouse without an accidental click. It's a case where Apple has placed form well above function. Even the new "multi button" mouse from Apple is also lame in that regard, I do like the idea of that tiny center wheel that can scroll up, down, left or right.

-Kevin S.

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I understand
Feb 11, 2006 4:37AM PST

Yeah, on a PC, I fully understand the necessity of right-click. I think that's partly because if you want to be able to a lot, right-click is the only way to get to said functions (example: try to find out detailed information [Properties] of a file on the Windows desktop).

Before I ever really used a two button mouse, I always used keyboard commands. It became such of a habit that I couldn't understand when somebody would complain about not having two buttons.
I have since adjusted to multi-button mice (especially using middle-click in Firefox), but I still respect being able to do anything with a one-button mouse.

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I used to argue in favor
Feb 11, 2006 6:41AM PST

Yeah, I used to get annoyed when PC users told me that it was silly for Macs to ship with a one button mouse. It was ok until software developers started assuming multi-button functionality in their software. Now it's almost essential, especially in 3D programs like Maya or Cinema 4D where the second and third button are useful for easy navigation.

Not sure why the one button on the laptop doesn't annoy me. Guess I'm just using different apps on my laptop that don't really need more than one.

-Kevin S.