Where Is My Heavy-Duty Mouse?

jmaslak expresses himself thusly: "I'm in the market for yet another new mouse. My average mouse-span is three months. Once in a while, I can stretch it to four, but sometimes the darn things die after only one month. I've tried cheap mice and expensive mice. Microsoft makes a decent mouse, as it usually lasts four. But I hate spending $50 every 4 months!" (Read more for the details of jmaslak's quest.)

"The failure modes vary about 50/50: rollers just get too worn out to roll right (not dirty, though -- I clean the mouse often) or the cable between the mouse and the computer goes bad. I'd love a wireless optical mouse, but I can't seem to find anyone that makes one. I'd gladly spend $100 on a mouse if it would last more than 6 months.

I don't want a trackball or any other non-traditional mouse. Ergonomics don't matter. The wheel is helpful, but I'd do without the wheel as long as the mouse had three buttons (I run Unix).

Does anyone make a mouse that will stand up to the torture? Am I going to have to start manufacturing mice for people like myself?"

The best "mouse" I've found is a Logitech optical trackball using 3-buttom emulation, but not everyone likes those. So where is the mythical perfect mouse hiding? The sought-after wireless optical mouse really would be nice.

Comments

Logitech Optical

[psychosis]

The Logitech optical mice have been great to me. None of the roller problems, and there was just an Ask Slashdot the other day on replacing the red LED with a super-neat-o blue one!
I have the smaller variety (more of a "normal mouse" shape than the larger "tank" style) and have had no problems. Works great in X too.

Re:Two things

[unitron]

Actually it's probably the microswitches under the buttons that have gone bad, I've certainly had that happen. I've had cables go bad as well. Troubles like that are usually in inverse proportion to the quality of the components used to construct the mouse. In other words, the cheap ones wear out sooner and easier and the ones that are worth their higher price (as opposed to those that just cost more because of the name or because they're "novelty" items; race cars, cartoon characters, etc.)last longer.

Re:So...

[Tower]

Hehe 8^) I hadn't considered the pet angle... Glad to know that the crests grow back after a scalping, too :)
--

I'd LOVE to see..

[TheTomcat]

an optical wireless mouse. I suspect they're not made because the batteries would die too fast.

However, I wouldn't mind dropping my mouse on a charger at night to restore battery power, à la wireless phone. I should patent the idea (-:

kidding.

Re:I Lied (kinda)

[TheTomcat]

figures.
http://chic.com.tw/mice/MBOT/OPTICAL/all-opt-mice. htm

I looked before posting, I swear. (-:

What?

[Kristopher Johnson]

I have to ask the same thing everyone else is: what are you doing with your mice to cause them to wear out so quickly?

My own mouse history:

- Microsoft IntelliMouse at home--3 years old, still works fine

- Microsoft IntelliMouse at work--2 years old, still works fine

- Macintosh Mouse--12 years old, still works fine

BTW, I play Quake III with my mouse, and do other "mouse-intensive" activities. The only mouse I've ever had problems with was the really cheap one that came with the original PS/2's.

I do use a mouse pad. Maybe that helps?

Well, here's a SlashDot article on ...

[dodecahedron]

The Most Powerful Mouse in the World

Quoting:
Seumas writes "Check out the Durapoint stainless steel industrial mouse which has bee thrown off a five-story building, submerged for hours, run-over by an 18-wheel truck, beaten with a hammer, used as a hockey puck, thrown across a room and stepped on countless times. It's even theft-proof. Even the pentagon is considering using it. At $279, it isn't cheap -- and it sure isn't an ergonomic wonder, but it might be your ticket if you do your computing strapped to the underside of a Mac truck." If only it had 3 mouse buttons!

I Lied (kinda)

[klrnsdme]

It looks like CHIC does make a wireless Optical mouse but you have to charge it 8hours every three days... SEEEEESH! But I figured if someone made on it'd be about that bad... Wait for fuel cells 8) Klrnsdme (Killer Inside Me)

Re:So...

[ptomblin]

I've had two mice fail with cable problems in the last 6 months. As well as two sets of headphones. I'll tell you why - Cockatiels! They are the biggest chewers in the world. All pieces of paper around my computer desk have shredded edges. One time the cord was chewed so badly that the PS/2 port evidently shorted out - other PS/2 mice don't work in that port any more, so I had to start using a USB mouse.

So...

[Tower]

50% of your mice fail with cable problems after a few months? And you are doing what with the cable??? I know a lot of high intensity Quake types, and I haven't seen cable problems that often.

I would still reccomend a trackball, especially for gaming. With a little practice, turns can be executed more quickly and (I think) more accurately than with a mouse. I know my play improved quite drastically (alas, I haven't had the time in the past year or so... my skills are probably worn down). Easier to keep clean, doesn't mind getting dirty nearly as much as a mouse... My Trackman Marble (three buttons - pre-scroll wheel) was of great benefit to me ergonomically as well... Don't know why you wouldn't want a trackball, and I certainly wouldn't dismiss the importance of ergonomics - it pays off in the long run.

Oh well, just my $.02 (that was before the jump in the CPI, of course).
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Try using your web browser.

[IdeaMan]

Step 1: Search Google.com
Step 2: follow link
Step 3: Read page, says company named Chic has one
Step 4: Search google again for Chic + Wireless + optical:

Step 5: Click on link: all your mouse are belong to us

Two things

[JediTrainer]

One, a new Logitech optical wheel mouse has, if I remember correctly, a 5-year warranty. I just bought one - don't remember if it was 3 or 5, but I think it was 5.

Second, how about just getting a new mouse pad? I don't mean to insult, but is there a chance that you're cleaning the mouse so much that the rollers are wearing down from YOU scraping them all the time? Keep the surface under your mouse clean, and you'll probably have better luck. It also wouldn't hurt to dust your desk off a little every week or so.

Finally, if you get an optical mouse you'll probably eliminate the roller problems. Admittedly, I've had the BUTTONS on a mouse wear out on me, but I can't say that I've ever seen a cable go. That's some strange stuff. Unless...

...get your work area inspected for static. Lose the wooly carpets and see if you can get yourself grounded. There's a good chance that your "cable problems" are caused by a discharge that perhaps you weren't aware of. I'm not an expert, but I don't expect this stuff to be particularly resilient when it comes to electric shocks.

In any case, if you're consistently killing your mice, you really should check out the above. I've never heard anyone have these kinds of problems. I would think that I'd have them - I write software for a living and spend my days behind the monitor, so I should go through them at least as fast as you.

Sometimes the simple solutions will work. I hope this helps. Good luck!

Bill Cosby

[babbage]

...I think he's the one that told the joke I'm thinking of here:

A little kid walks into a pet store saying "hey, I just bought this stupid turtle [mouse, whatever :)] and the stupid thing won't come out of it's shell. What's the deal?"

The clerk politely informs the little brat that this is normal, because turtles are shy animals and are naturally reluctant to come out whenever big, scary humans are around. Nonetheless, to make the little bastard feel better, the clerk agrees to let the boy exchange his turtle for another one, and the happy little monster runs gleefully out of the store.

An hour later, however, the boy comes back with the same complaint. The clerk is a little bit surprised by this -- but no matter, he gives the boy another turtle and off he goes, with a warning about trying to be nicer to this turtle.

The third time the boy walks in, however, the clerk is really annoyed. "Look, what are you doing to these turtles that makes them so afraid to come out of their shells?" "Nuthin," the boy insists, "just playin' with it." "Show me how," the clerk demands. The boy gets down on his hands & knees and, scraping the turtle rapidly back & forth starts yelling BROOOOM! BROOOOOOM! RACECAR!"

Har har har. The punchline is of course a bit easier to deliver out loud rather than in print, but that's not the point.

The point is -- what the hell are you doing to these mice! I've had the same mouse on my PC since the day I got it, and the only reason I replaced the mouse on my Mac was because it drove me nuts to shuffle a hockey puck around the desk (that & the clear LCD mouse just seemed really cool... :).

What could you possibly be doing that wears out a mouse after only a couple of months? You say you clean it regularly -- with what, a good hard scrub with a steel wool pad followed up by a sulfuric acid bath? It's inconceivable to me that anyone could be destroying their equipment so quickly. <parent>Don't you realize that this stuff is delicate & expensive equipment? What's wrong with you?</parent>

My suggestion to you would be to look into whatever mice Fisher-Price might be offering these days. With any luck they'll have a nice durable hard-shell plastic model (in shiny red, yellow & blue) that you can chew on all day without breaking. If they're not in the PC market -- and I really don't know if they are or not (though I doubt it) -- then you're pretty much out of luck. All I can say in that case is you really need to learn to take care of this stuff better. Sheesh...

What the heck!!!!

[cavemanf16]

Here are my theories as to why you're mice are all going bad so fast:

1. In a fit of rage over being killed for the umpteenth time in Quake3 with no frags to your credit, you grab the cord, begin whirling the mouse over your head and in a loud Confederate rebel yell, launch it out the window, thereby causing cord and/or general mouse failure.
2. Licking the mouse ball is not considered 'cleaning it', especially while sucking on a lollipop.
3. Soaking the mouse in bleach, is also, not 'cleaning it'.
4. Do not use the mouse to 'pretend you're shaving'. You'll pick up lots of facial hair and grease (and possibly some zit puss) which isn't good for it.
5. Do not operate the mouse while your computer is in your sandbox.
6. Lastly, Do not chew on happy mouse ball, do not look at happy mouse ball, and do not taunt happy mouse ball.