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The Mice That Didn't Make It

Posted by timothy on from the does-anything-beat-a-logitech-marble-mouse? dept.

Harry writes "For every blockbuster of the mouse world (such as Microsoft and Logitech's big sellers) there have been countless mice that flopped, or never made it to market. Mice shaped like pyramids; mice shaped like Mickey; mice that doubled as numeric keypads or phones. Even one that sat on your steering wheel. I've rounded up some evocative patent drawings on twenty notable examples."

19 of 202 comments (clear)

  1. Not Reading It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm not reading this article because it's on 20 different pages. STOP THAT SHIT.

    1. Re:Not Reading It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      because clicking on the word "next" 20 times is too laborious? You, sir, need a better mouse.

      Come to think of it, perhaps your current mouse is listed in the article...

    2. Re:Not Reading It by thisnamestoolong · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yes -- things like this have me working on perfecting the technology to deliver a punch to the face via TCP/IP.

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    3. Re:Not Reading It by gandhi_2 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Meme error.
      <Zybl0re> get up
      <Zybl0re> get on up
      <Zybl0re> get up
      <Zybl0re> get on up
      * nmp3bot dances :D-<
      * nmp3bot dances :D|-<
      * nmp3bot dances :D/-<
      <[SA]HatfulOfHollow> i'm going to become rich and famous after i invent a device that allows you to stab people in the face over the internet

      --
      THL phish sticks
  2. Split article by Brian+Gordon · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And it's split across 24 different pages. ... now where are all of the slashdotters who were arguing with me about ad-supported content last night? :)

    1. Re:Split article by BikeHelmet · · Score: 4

      Haha! And I got modded troll for saying 30 page articles are common and make me want to throttle someone. ;)

    2. Re:Split article by MyLongNickName · · Score: 4, Funny

      Did you see the subtracts?

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  3. Next.. Next.. Next... by rihkama · · Score: 4, Insightful

    20 pages for 20 smallish pictures? Really? The site must be desperate for ad revenue.

  4. He forgot one by grub · · Score: 4, Informative

    Don't forget this one. The only manufacturers' mouse which is usually replaced by a 3rd party one within minutes.

    .

    --
    Trolling is a art,
    1. Re:He forgot one by Chyeld · · Score: 4, Insightful

      On a system designed with it in mind, yes it was. I'm possibly a rare individual who grew up starting with an Atari ST (two buttoned mice that were made out of bricks it seemed), moved on to a Mac (the famous ACB one button mouse), and then to the PC (cheap as shit multi-button mice).

      While having more buttons in the Windows world was definately a must, back in the System 7 days and before, having one button was not an issue and given most PC mice in the day were made of plastic that felt as if it would shatter if sneezed at forcefully, having a mouse that had 'heft' meant I actually felt as if I had better control on those rare few games that were worth playing than I did on the PC games that came later.

  5. I'll stick with my blue M&M mouse . . . by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 4, Funny

    . . . http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/5921266/Blue-MandMs-mend-spinal-injuries.html

    . . . poor critter . . .

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  6. Article that didn't make it by syousef · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Spread across 24 pages and about as interesting as a dry dog turd. When you submit to slashdot and it gets rejected then some story about loser designs that didn't make it for good reason winds up as front page news it's quite an insult. What's the next article going to be about? Drug addicts that didn't make it to CEO of large tech companies? How about abacus designs that didn't sell? Not inane enough for you? Let's try pocket protector manufacturers that went broke.

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  7. Slow news day? by geekoid · · Score: 3, Insightful

    For every blockbuster of the X world there have been countless X that flopped, or never made it to market.

    No. Shit.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  8. Re:Now is the time fob by geekoid · · Score: 3, Funny

    the "b" was the typo he was fixing for the demonstration.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  9. 24 fucking pages for 20 mice? by thetoadwarrior · · Score: 3, Informative

    Fuck that shit in the ass. I refuse to read something in such a shit layout design for maximum ad views while ignoring a user's needs.

    Seriously, 24 pages for 20 nice is a flipping joke.

  10. Best mouse... by nscheffey · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ....is not a mouse at all. It's the RollerMouse, which lets me mouse without taking my hands off the keyboard. I have used this for 10 years and continue to be amazed that its not the standard in computing.

    1. Re:Best mouse... by Oewyn · · Score: 3, Informative

      I have used this for 10 years and continue to be amazed that its not the standard in computing.

      Hrmm... At $220, i too am surprised that it isn't the standard in computing...

      pfft.

  11. WORST. MOUSE. EVER. by operagost · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The pear-shaped, ridged piece of garbage that came with Packard Bells in the 1990s. I know you're surprised-- Packard-Bell made crappy hardware? But instead of durable grey rubber like most decent mice of the time, the ball on this thing was made of some porous black fake-rubber product that disintegrated in about a month on the display model. It's hard to demo a product when it just came out last month and the customers can see the mouse is already broken.

    --

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  12. You whore out your own website and spread... by RichiH · · Score: 4, Informative

    ...your "article" over 24 pages? Other submitters go to the trouble of linking a print page to spare us this crap and you link an ad-riddled pos like that on purpose? I don't say that often, but: fuck you.