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?

[yosemite]

I have been using a logitech 2 button/wheel button optical mouse for at least a year. After using this device for extended periods of time I can confidently say that its just as easy to use a middle scroll as a middle button.

I have learned.

I can't speak for you, or the freakish condition of your flippers, but for me it is just as easy to use a thin scroll wheel as a fat middle button.

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?

[ShavenYak]

What's really funny is that I'm sure they rearranged the center cluster to save space. But then, they wasted that space and more with the huge expanse of darker plastic on which they've put five tiny buttons, a rocker, and a wheel.

That's like the epitome of bad design, but it's not just Microsoft. All the "internet keyboards" have similar idiocies. I guess that's why I still use an IBM Model M at home.

Let me see

[ttfkam]

Standard 3-button mouse or wheel mouse. And you want the standard 3-button? Hunh?

There's a reason they're not being sold as much. You can click a wheel perfectly well, but you can't scroll a button.

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.

Button Numbers on Mice

[Bombcar]

Didn't you get the memo? The number of buttons is like the size of the subwoofer or speed of the processor! Get with the timez!

1 button mouse: Click your single |3u770n, n00b!
2 button mouse: Stiff, corporate dweeb.
3 button mouse: Trying to be cool
5 button mouse: Cool in a Yugo sort of way
7 button mouse: Almost there.
9 button mouse with scroll wheel: H4x0r g0d!

Of course, I blow everyone away with my 105 button mouse.....

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.

Not google, but froogle

[satanami69]

Although they are the same.

Search: large 3 button mouse

Plenty to choose from.

Re:Not google, but froogle

[Kris_J]

Froogle is superb. Here's a link for "3-button mouse -scroll".

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?

IBM -- I have a 3rd Button, and a Scroll*Point*

[Hollinger]

I stand by my IBM Scrollpoint Optical. You get a very nice ambidexterous mouse that happens to have three buttons, and instead of a scroll wheel, you get a pressure sensitive scrollpoint, which is similar to the eraser heads featured on IBM laptops. The scrollpoint even glows blue, contrasting the red LED for the optical sensor.

360 Degree scrolling is very useful.

Costanza

[irix]

eschasi asks: "eschasi recently got a new job..."

George is getting upset!

Here you go

[n00bieriffic]

Hop your happy ass over here and get your 3 button mouse.

Don't always just look on the shelf, ask somebody.

-------

Scroll wheels are already obsolete.

[Zero Sum]

I have a differing opinion.

I use a LogiTech Trackman Marble FX.

Left button, middle button and right button AND if I tilt my thumb slightly it hits the fourth button and the 2" (approx) ball becomes a scroll SPHERE. It scrolls both vertically and horizantally. I have had the device for a number of years, it has never needed cleaning and about the only improvement that I could think off would be batteryless IR (which I don't think exists yet).

Every person who has sat at my desk and used it has gone out and bought one. There is simply nothing better in the marketplace that I or anyone I know has ever seen.

It makes any other kind of pointing device look sick.

Did you search the web?

[petard]

I was recently wondering about this myself, so I searched a bit. 3-button mice are widely available, and are still being manufactured:

• USB
• USB
• PS/2
• PS/2

Or, if you don't want Belkin to get another dollar of yours due to the recent BS they pulled with their routers, there are many others:

• PS/2
• fancy optical
• fancy wireless and optical
• PS/2

That's just what I found during 10 minutes of STFW. And I didn't take all the abuse you did by asking here :-)