Slashdot Mirror

I've been using StrokeIt for years. It allows actions like the GP mentioned. You can teach it gestures, and they work in all or specified apps. So it's not just limited to your browser. My FireFox UI doesn't even have any typical icons.

Gestures will do the trick instead: StrokeIt for Windows and xGestures for Mac.

I'm happy with 2 buttons and a gesture utility (StrokeIt for Windows, xGestures for Mac OS X) especially when combined with a macro utility (QuicKeys for Mac OS X).

Mouse gestures really make life easier.

I couldn't go back to a firefox without them.

Mouse Gestures Redox for Firefox.

My tip: install it, remove all gestures except:

close tab, previous tab, next tab, reload.

If you've only got a 3 button mouse set yourself some 'rocker' gestures (hold down right mouse button, then press left to go back a page).

Gestures make life so much easier.

For Windows there is also StrokeIt, which adds mouse gestures to anything.

There is a program called strokeit http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/ that allows you to use mouse gestures in any windows program. I find it useful if only for the ability to bypass clicking the tiny buttons on the top right corner of the window.

You probably shouldn't be annoyed with Opera, because IIRC there ARE only 9 mouse buttons.... as per the USB HID spec.

I won't swear that this is true, but I'm pretty sure. Totally from memory here.

I prefer mouse gestures over mouse button shortcuts any day. Personally I use StrokeIt ( http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/ ) on my windows boxes so that I can use gestures in any prog, but whatever floats your boat. I have a 10 button mouse with scroll wheel, all mapped to custom features in my IDE... so it isn't like I've never tried the button route before.

Not being fan boy or flaming you. I like Opera a lot, I use it everyday, I would be pissed if I had to switch to Firefox or IE for my daily needs, but it wouldn't be the end of the world.

And as a dev, I don't code for Opera. I want to, but the sad fact is that you have to pick your browsers; there is a standard, but nobody (NOBODY) implements it in full. Worse, everybody implements a different subset of the standard. So ALL web coding (of any significance) is customized to the browsers that the developers chose to focus on.

Nice, I'll definitely look into it. I'm a student, so all of my homework/class information is on the internet, and the mouse is kind of necessary. Strokeit: http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/ is something worth checking out if you ever have to do any internet stuff, it's a gestures program with some pretty good functionality (and even better functionality when you combine it with another hotkey program) that lets you execute commands, send hotkeys, open windows, send basic windows messages (close, maximize, minimize) by drawing gestures with your mouse. No more alt+F4 or alt+back, just draw a 'C' or a line to the left. Invaluable for internet mousing situations.

The gestures work like this: you hold down the right mouse button, draw the shape, then let the right mouse button go. Normal right mouse button functionality is retained (ie clicking it will still give you your context menu, and you can still drag your icons and what have you, but you have to wait about a second for strokeit to realize that you were dragging the icon, not making a gesture), and when you really have to use a mouse or a touchpad, the speed is glorious.

• Vern — virtual desktops (screenshot)
• StrokeIt — system-wide, customizable mouse gestures (screenshots)
• X-Setup — mind-numbingly detailed tweaking (screenshots)
• Cygwin — *nix-like commandline environment (screenshot would be silly)

These are the basic things I would require regardless of what kind of project I was working on. There are probably another half a dozen or so programs I would almost always install (Process Explorer, Firefox, Putty, KeePass), but these are more likely to be subject to individual preferences.

• Vern — virtual desktops (screenshot)
• StrokeIt — system-wide, customizable mouse gestures (screenshots)
• X-Setup — mind-numbingly detailed tweaking (screenshots)
• Cygwin — *nix-like commandline environment (screenshot would be silly)

These are the basic things I would require regardless of what kind of project I was working on. There are probably another half a dozen or so programs I would almost always install (Process Explorer, Firefox, Putty, KeePass), but these are more likely to be subject to individual preferences.

Mouse gestures are the new "right click and pick back". If StrokeIt doesn't rock your world, I don't know what will. The brilliant thing about gestures is that they don't require nearly the accuracy that pecking around on the screen with the mouse does.

have been talking about liking having a large number of buttons on their mouse to do simple stuff like changing windows etc.
Just thought they might be interested in this StrokeIt - mouse gestures like with Opera but on everything.

The functions you looking for are called mouse guestures get them here -> http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/

http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/

The best mouse gesture package for windows, and it is completely free. It's stable and works with every application. You can bind gestures to specific applications, or all applications by using global keyboard bindings like alt+left and alt+right, ctrl+w, etc.

• Mouse gestures
  
• Knock off of Expose! With hot corners!
  

Seriously, yes, I want my mouse to do more for me, no matter what the application. (I blame Opera.) You might want to check out strokeit. (Yeah, it's not what you're thinking, if I'm really like you.) Take it along with you on your USB key.

I'm apathectic about firefox.
IE works, both have holes and the taskbar is my 'tabs'
The only thing that nearly made me switch was mouse gestures. But then I found strokeit http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/

So here's a geek with ie instead of ff.

Indeed, mouse gestures are addictive. However you don't need to be limited to just your browser (whether Opera or Firefox with the mouse gesture support) - I use the unfortunately named StrokeIt (I presume originally named so someone could have one hand...busy...while navigating with the other), giving me OS-wide mouse gesture support. I love it.

I find stroke-it to be invaluable after some jigging of the default settings. It's a mouse-gesture recognition system, and can be configured to do just about anything (although I mainly use it for open browser, open explorer and close window.

I also use trip regularly, but I wrote it, so I'm quite biased.

Here is the correct link for StrokeIt - Mouse Gestures for Windows. Personally, I found it too convoluted to set up, although I do enjoy mouse gestures in my browser.

However... you run a $29 Internet Explorer Shell?

Have you not heard of free shells such as Maxthon? Or even Avant?

Using either over Opera or Firefox is just silly, though.

The funny thing about comparing operating systems is that frequent users of each OS are blind to the failings of their own, and are driven insane by the failings of others. For example, I find scrolling in even the latest OSX to be painful, but I love it on Windows. People get driven nuts by explorer pausing when it tries to find things that aren't there, but I don't notice it and instead go batty when Finder wastes time panning to the right in column view.

On Windows, I have a small set of utilities (notably strokeit, trip* and remote desktop) that I rely on heavily, and while other platforms have their equivalents, I just don't find them anywhere near as good (remote desktop, in particular).

Now don't get me too wrong - I would rather use default OSX over default Windows, but give me a customised Windows, and I'll take it over any other OS. It's the same reason I use an IE shell (iRider) over FireFox - one may be the technically 'better' solution, but the other just does exactly what I need it to, and lets me do it faster.

I guess my point is the obvious - people are most productive in whatever they're used to, and whatever suits them.

I've been using OPERA long enough that I cannot do without mouse gestures in other software (such as IE and Firefox should the requirement arise). This will add that functionality to these programs and most of anything else you use. Worth a look!!

Forte Free Agent, a free and excellent news reader http://www.forteinc.com/agent/index.php

ZoneAlarm is an excellent free firewall, but it does seem to nag more than before http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/catalog/prod ucts/sku_list_za.jsp;jsessionid=BQnRnRFFu7vlwK9sR9 zM3ydKxKZB7qdA2NEZ1dOyQNX1I20o5O2I!138179110!-1062 696904!7551!7552!-2058358518!-1062696905!7551!7552

The Microsoft PowerToys are free add-ons for Windows, some of which are very useful http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/power toys/xppowertoys.mspx

Exact Audio Copy (EAC) is one of the best CD rippers, and free http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/

DVDINFOPro is freeware that gives information about CD and DVD media http://www.dvdinfopro.com/

StrokeIt lets you use mouse gestures in any program http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/

StrokeIt is a mouse-gesture utility that is free for individual or non-profit use.
I use it all the time - once you get used to "right-click+drag-left" as "back" in your browser, you'll feel naked without it.

It's completely trainable - if you want to scrawl out your name to have it open Notepad, you can probably train it to pick up on that.
Otherwise, it comes with preprogrammed gestures that you can assign to all sorts of different commands - you can send keystrokes, hotkeys, even low-level Windows messaging commands to an application.

It's good stuff.

Wacom tablets are pure condensed and ironed flat slabs of joy. About a year and a half ago I got one of the 5x8 (I think) inchers as a present and it is one of the best peripherals I've ever gotten. I don't do much much artistic with it but I will say that, combined with a good mouse gestures program, it has made my life much easier.

I happen to be a bit of a mouse addict (I have a little handheld trackball, 2 optical mice, a wireless gyromouse, and my tablet pen and mouse within easy reach right now) but I have to say that for the money, a tablet is the best thing I've found. On top of making quick movements faster, they're also easier on the wrists - big deal for me as I'm in thesis/final project mode right now and glued to my desk.

When people have to use my comp, I usually pull up a spare traditional mouse for them, but a lot of people tend to pick up that tablet fairly quickly. My boyfriend fell in love with it after we were doing some coding late one night and he was dragging some stuff around. The tablets have absolute positioning which, while it takes getting used to and isn't for everybody, can be really handy.

I know that Wacom 0wnz my input methods for as long as they are around, and I keep trying to get other people to sell their sou--I mean try out tablets.

(almost wish I could get them at an OS level).

And mouse gestures - once you start using 'em, you wonder why the hell they aren't available for every application.

mouse gestures

Why would you want only yourbrowser to support mouse gestures when any program can?

Yes, you will get snickers from your geek friends when they see the name of the utlilty you're running, but theywill quickly shut up once they've become addicted to it like you will.

Mouse gestures rock..

However, on windows, there's a nice "general" solution: strokeit (that sounds bad, I know)

It allows you to easily send keystrokes, mouse clicks ... etc., to various windows, depending on what window had focus when you started the gesture. It works very well. It's also free, and supports a plugin architecture. It comes preconfigured with a bunch of gesture shortcuts, too.

Why not use StrokeIt! and have them everywhere?

Ive been using XP for a while now and these are the essentials that I've found I can't live without
1 : Firebird (IE sucks leprous donkey balls, opera cant render properly, mozilla is slow, firebird is the best)
2 : Gvim is the best editor out there for code and text alike (remember to disable backup files)
3 : PuTTy retreat to a comfortable bash shell ;)
4 : XP Powertoys virtual desktop manager,cmd prompt here context menu and of course...
5 : TweakUI turn off those silly windows defaults
6 : a good FTP client,WS-ftp is a good one
7 : Winace,the only compression tool youll ever need!
8 : startup monitor monitors for extraneous crap adding itself to startup
9 : strokeit ,mouse gestures for windows,Yay!
10 : Nethack the only game you need (safe for work too)

that might not necessarily be in the right order and this doesnt count amusement software like media players and whatnot but those are my most used tools at work

I personally use StrokeIT, that gives me gestures at the desktop level, works with all apps (and you can configure "special" gestures to particular apps).

Not in any way affiliated, just using it ...

Well, it is a third-party-product and does not substitute every action, but it is very valuable (and it responds faster than the Firebird Mouse Gestures): Stroke It! for Windows

I actually went ahead and got StrokeIt because I am so addicted to mouse gestures by now, and *need* them in other apps as well ;-)

I beleive that Mozilla is working on or has integrated gestures into it's system. I've also used a program called Stroke It (funny name, good program!) that automatically includes gestures in all Windows programs and works pretty well.

Have a look at strokeit

Fairly customizeable, and neat for a while, but eventually I decided that I could do everything more efficiently directly from emacs :p

No idea, but StrokeIt sounds similar.

Personally I feel the only gestures worth bothering with is the hold-mousebutton-click-other for navigating back/forward.

There's already a pretty good mouse gesture program out for Windows called StrokeIt. I tried using it for a while, but it's really not worth it unless you have an optical mouse IME - a balled mouse ended up screwing up the gestures something chronic. Since I got my Logitech optical, it's a bit more usable, but I do wonder how much more efficient it is. To close a window, you have to draw a Q, and in the same time you've done it you could have just clicked the X.

I use the gestures in Phoenix though, moving back and forth between pages is a breeze now though - I really wouldn't recommend it for a full windows system though.

If you're on Windows, try Stroke-It, a gesture recognizer that works across all Windows applications.