3-Button Mice - An Endangered Species?

eschasi asks: "eschasi recently got a new job, which includes a new PC on which to run UNIX and X. After much grovelling through the vendor catalog and the used equipment boxes for a simple 3-button mouse, he finally had to bring one from home. Shortly thereafter he was browsing the local CompUSAs and BestBuys, and saw not a single actual 3-button mouse. Oh yes, there were things which masqueraded as 3-button mice, but they weren't. They were scroll mice where you had to depress the scroll to get a middle click, or where the third button was under the thumb, or where the third button was unreachable because of the scroll. Sun's still come with 3-button mice, so there must be some being made. Are these still in the retail market anywhere? Frankly, they're too small for eschasi's big hands. The only place a basic 3-button mouse was found for sale was eBay, and they guy selling it called it 'rare.' Is the classic 3-button mouse largely dead? If so, what are you folks moving toward?"

Comments

How is a scroll wheel mouse not a three button?

[wowbagger]

I don't understand why the story poster differentiates between a "three button mouse" and a scroll wheel mouse in which the wheel is the third button.

True, some scroll mice have the problem that the wheel will generate scroll events when the scroll wheel is clicked. If this is a problem, then simply configure X to NOT recognize such events. Voi la - a three button mouse.

Re:How is a scroll wheel mouse not a three button?

[nocomment]

because in newer x apps (galeon for example), the third button on the scroll actually does the same thing it does in windows ( becomes a multi-headed arrow in a circle, which you simply move the mouse about to scroll in any direction ).

Really, a Scroll mouse with third button emulation is the way to go. YOu get the best of both worlds with that. YOu get the scroll events in the apps that recognize them, and still get to keep middle-click pasting.

Re:How is a scroll wheel mouse not a three button?

[DrZaius]

The productivity gained by the scroller is worth not having a real button. The scroller functioned fine and did not have a problem on every scroll mouse I've used. I use X quite a bit, which means a lot of middle mouse button clicking. Sticking with Logitech and Microsoft through the ages has served me well.

Everyone I've ever discussed it with agrees that the optical scroll mouse is the pinacle of mice technology.

Re:How is a scroll wheel mouse not a three button?

[Brandybuck]

I'm using the original Trackman Marble 3-button. It's awesome.

What's wrong with a scroll wheel? Several things. First, most scroll mice aren't wide enough for three fingers to rest naturally. A two button scroll mouse that isn't any wider than a two button non-scroll mouse is too narrow.

Second, given a wider two button mouse that I can comfortable rest my middle finger on, I need a scrollwheel that is stiff enough that I'm not scrolling accidentally all the time.

Third, a scrollwheel isn't a button, even though it can act like one. It doesn't feel like a button. What if instead of two buttons and a scrollwheel, there were only one button and a scrollwheel? Click on the scroll wheel for the RMB. Do you think people would be happy with that? Of course not!

Fourth, and most important, why shouldn't I have a real middle button? Since 98% of my computing is done in a UNIX environment, that middle button gets used a lot. More often than the right button in fact.

A scrollwheel is convenient. I won't deny that. But why must it be on the mouse. Think about it. You don't position anything when you're using a scrollwheel. And you don't need any fine control over it. A scrollwheel on the middle-bottom of the keyboard would be much more convenient. Or keep it on the mouse but put it on the left side by the thumb.

Re:How is a scroll wheel mouse not a three button?

[Glonoinha]

Is it my imagination or did that Microsoft keyboard take the function keys and make four groups of three across the top (deviating from the normal four groups of three)?

Holy fuck, why not just rearrange all the keys on the damn keyboard while they are at it. I don't even think about keyboarding anymore - after 20+ years the keyboard is simply an extension of my thought process, words move from my head to the screen in a swift fluid motion ... and things will go bad when they start dicking with the layout.

Look at the keys in the center cluster, the insert/delete/home/page up/down/ are all fucked up too.

Microsoft if you are listening, don't jack with the layout. Keyboard layout isn't an opportunity to express your artistic inner being, it is a standardized user interface. You will sell a LOT more keyboards if you extend the standard layout rather than fuck it up. I want one of those keyboards with a scrolly wheel, but there is no way I am buying that whacked version.

That said, FFResponse, I agree with you 100% - Microsoft makes some killer hardware, mice in particular. You can have my Microsoft 5 button Intellimouse (red light) when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers. As I recall, their joysticks are top notch also.

Scroll wheel

[Cuthalion]

Is the classic 3-button mouse largely dead? If so, what are you folks moving toward?

You mean what did everyone start using so long that nobody even makes the old 3-button mouses anymore?

Most people I know use wheel mouses, duh. I use a Logitech Trackman Wheel.

In Windows the third mouse button was never very heavily used, which is why it's being relegated to the secondary function of the scroll wheel, which gets used tons. I for one find the soft rubbery click of the scroll wheel a sublime tactile sensation. Plus it scrolls stuff!

Though really, what's wrong with clicking the scroll wheel to middle click? It's in the middle (like the old middle button used to be) and if you have a stiff enough one (logitech!) then you won't also accidently scroll while doing it.

No wheels?

[MachDelta]

IMHO, yes, 3 button mice without wheels are dead.

Why? Wheels are just too handy for browsing the web to not have one. And since quite a few million people tend to use teh interweb on a regular basis, wheels are quite popular. So it only makes sense that you'd find them on every product out there - consumers want, producers give. Hell, i've got a scroll wheel on my keyboard! (Logitech Elite)

For most people, theres just no good reason NOT to have a wheel on their mouse. The third (middle) button function is built right into the wheel (wheel-click), so you loose nothing while gaining extra functionality. Whats not to like? :)

PS: I use a Logitech MX500, and its awesome. Two thumbs up (just beware of Logitech's drivers :P)

Re:No wheels?

[meta-monkey]

I love my Logitech MX500. It's great in OSX 10.3, because I map the Expose features to the extra buttons. I love having the "show all windows" feature right under my thumb.

WTF

[Frequanaut]

Seriously, the wheel is just fine for a middle mouse button.
Looks like it's a slow news week. Isn't there a SCO story to post or something?

Re:Let me see

[trentfoley]

You can click a wheel perfectly well, but you can't scroll a button

Sounds like a song by REO Speedwagon.

While the wheel can and does function as a button, I can understand the frustration of the poster. I have used various wheel mice and have yet to find consistent feel even between identical models (logitech cordless freedom pro excluded). On some mice, scrolling the wheel inadvertently generates clicks if the spring is too soft. If too hard, you generate scrolls when having to force the click.

For those that are used to a true 3 button mouse (we are slowly dying off) there will never be an acceptable substitute.

And, yes, I am typing this on an IBM Lexmark Keyboard. clickety clickety clickety

Re:Let me see

[rekkanoryo]

I use a Microsoft Trackball Optical (I hate M$, but I have to admit they make damn nice keyboards and mice). Actually I have 4 of them, one on each of my PCs. They provide a consistent feel on the scroll wheel, and the wheel is sufficiently large to pose as a 3rd button for me. There are also two extra buttons that are slim and long on the outside of the mouse--these are excellent for remapping things to the mouse. And they are very difficult to hit by accident, but not difficult to click on purpose.

On the other hand, I've found that the Logitech scroll wheels are far too soft and sometimes register as many as five scroll events when it should register only one. I will, however, admit that I haven't yet tried the model you speak of.

For regular mice, I've found the Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical the ideal mouse--its scroll wheel has an identical feel to the four Trackball Opticals that I have. It is a basic mouse with just two buttons and the scroll wheel that can act as a middle button. It's the ONLY non-trackball mouse I've ever found that fits my hand properly--all others are too small.

Hope this helps

For God's sake

[Anonymous Coward]

have you never heard of pricewatch.com. search there. I found over a dozen places selling basic 3 button mice in under 30 seconds....

ASK SLASHDOT to find things for me
ASK SLASHDOT to comparison shop for me
ASK SLASHDOT to do my home work

what's next?

ASK SLASHDOT to fuck my girldfriend for me?

Re:Masquerading???

[John Hasler]

You also assume (erroneously) that everyone uses either Gnome or KDE.