Mouse replacements

I use Dell laser mice. The cheaper LED mice don't work on some surfaces, like Ikea varnished wood.

The LED ones are ok on a mousepad.

John Larkin Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center Lunatic Fringe Electronics

I'm currently using something called /Silvertec/, which I think is some no-name Chinese brand, but that doesn't matter. The mousepad I'm using came with a Mouse Systems mouse. I believe it's serial, or serial+PS/2.

It's a bog standard blue mousepad, without any particular pattern, and has the text

/The World's Most Accurate Input Devices Since 1982!/

and at least from the point of view of the mouse pad, that's probably true.

Another thing I want to point out, in terms of mice, is their inability to survive falls to the floor. My 2005 Logitech is much better in that regard, but is a bit clunky and heavy, and isn't vertical like the mouse I'm currently using.

I keep a spare vertical mouse in case this one falls to the floor and doesn't survive the trip.

Oh, and one more thing. I find it better to use mice with replacable batteries. Rather than a mouse I have to charge with a USB C cable.

I can just replace the batteries, and recharge the AAAs in a charging station, and won't have to mess about with a cable; but you do your own mouse. It's not like I care if yours is wireless, wired, nor has to be placed upside down to fit in with the fashion crowd of the fruit vendor while it's charging.

Best wishes, and happy mice!

I really like the Microsoft 3600 Bluetooth mouse. I have several and they are very reliable. They link to the BT adapter in your PC so there is no need for a dongle. The AA battery lasts a long time and is easy to take out. They work fine with Linux, including nice features like reporting the battery level. John

You still use a mousepad ??? All my mice work on almost any surface...

I just tested mine on the glass table. It didn't budge. I guess there is something about /glass/ that sticks the mouse pointer?

Of course, I don't expect everyone to have a fancy glass desk, and post- ers of sci.electronics.design may have a different budget -- or as in my case, a different budget as of a decade ago [1] -- so you just make do with what you have, and not cry too hard when you see no desk you like in Ikea because the furniture fashion has changed.

Now, if on the other hand you feel like buying yourself a more recent mouse pad than 1982, I can suggest several anime characters. Which one is your favorite?

Best wishes, and happy desks!

Swap the switches. There's probably less bounce in the right-click micro-switch, as it's used less.

Ugly Lenovo mice, with the blech-red wheel, are less sensitive to surface color than other types can be, as they age. I pick them up from scrap sales, whenever I see them. No need for a 'pad'.

RL

I like the old m405 . Have one that's, gosh, almost 20 years.

Cheers

I don't need a pad with my laser mice, but it feels nice.

John Larkin Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center Lunatic Fringe Electronics

Mouse pad serves two purposes:

- keeps that portion of the worksurface uncluttered

- pprovides a CUSHIONED place for the heel of my hand to rest (I move the mouse with my fingertips, NOT my shoulder)

I have a cordless keyboard (TV730) on my "network services" box (it has no need for a mouse as I normally access it remotely; keyboard only needed for those times when it doesn't boot).

As it is almost never used, the batteries last as long as the leakage current in the "power on" circuit.

SWMBO has a cordless mouse and keyboard for her NUC. But, that's so they can be stowed in a desk drawer when not in use lest they interfere with the *wired* keyboard/mouse that are connected to her regular computer.

Cordless devices would be hard to keep track of regarding which is paired with which machine (I have lots of machines). Cords inherently indicate ownership.

My favorite is the C7 (issued with FutureNet's products but an RJ11 connector):

Back when the third button was useful!

I still have several "FutureNet branded" units to support DASH-PCB, STRIDES, CADAT, etc. Back then, the *application* handled the mouse, not an OS service, so you had little choice!

Oh, god, no. My time is worth considerably more than that! :>

As indicated elsewhere, the mousepad's function is not related to the needs of the mouse but, rather, those of the *user*. :>

I need mice that are sensitive (as I don't move them very much and expect them to cover the entire "desktop") and reasonably lightweight (as I only use my fingertips to push/pull them around the pad). I have some older Logitech mice that have a nice "heft" but would never consent to being tosssed about as casually as I do.

I had used these for a while:

that being a small trackball in the center, mouse buttons on each side as well as "trigger switches" on the underside along with a barcode scanner on the front, microphone, speaker, etc.

But, I decided I'm not a fan of trackballs/thumbballs even in video games (e.g., Atari Football)

Amusingly, fetching the speechmike from my box of "pointing devices" revealed a cache of Dell mice! (They SHOULD have been in the "Dell Mouse" box) So, there's not as much immediacy in my need... I'd hate to buy a dozen mice and discover they don't "feel" good!

I think sensitivity of travel is a function of the OS settings and is user adjustible in the GUI, which includes a 'double click' duration recognition, that can affect bounce immunity.

RL

Have you considered disassembling, cleaning and perhaps repairing the mouse before replacing?

"How to Fix Mouse Left Button Random Double Clicking (Replacing Switch)"

The double click does NOT come from the LED or laser used to move the mouse pointer the display. The click comes from the small mechanical switches on the PCB. There are various styles of these mouse switches:

Your Dell mouse is a model MO56UO:

Ifixit has a page on disassembly and repair:

Replacement mouse switches should be available on eBay. I don't want to suggest a specific item without a more detailed description.

Everyone has their favorite style, maker and model mouse. The local recyclers have almost new USB mice for tolerable prices (currently about $5 for new). I keep about 5 to 10 mice in stock for my friends and customers. I prefer 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth. Gaming mice or laser mice if you want the best. However, don't expect long switch life even from those.

For myself, I prefer low profile, wireless, USB-C charging, and fits in my laptop bag. Something like this:

A mouse pad has one more (obscure) purpose. I have a white Formica desk surface. Works fine for both LED and Laser. However, when I use my phone camera to photograph check deposits, the software complains that it can't focus because of insufficient contrast between the check the white table. Since most rubber mouse pads are black (to hide the dirt and crud), I just flip my mouse pad over, place the check on the mouse pad, and the software works as expected.

The OS can't create "resolution" when it doesn't exist in the sensor.

The double-click setting seems to define a MAXIMUM window in which a second click is conjoined with an earlier click to make a "double-click" event. It doesn't seem possible to say "ignore a second click if it occurs within X milliseconds of the preceding click (cuz people can't move their fingers that fast!)

A mouse driver can also add support for an "acceleration" profile -- so quick moves are disproportionately scaled up to represent larger displacements than a comparable mouse motion in a shorter interval.

So, if you want to move the mouse cursor to the next line of text, you do so slowly while a similar displacement executed quickly can move you to another window.

In this way, you can constrain your motion to the area of a traditional mouse pad and still have full use of the visual interface.

The backs of my pads are black. But, the top surfaces are assorted cartoon characters:

My machines are named after cartoon characters -- though none of the above (actually, I just named a box after Wiley). If I could easily print full-color on fabric AND secure that to a rubber backing, I would make a mousepad for each such host.

Of course, I would also have to find the TIME to do such a thing...

The check deposit trick works best using the black back (maximum contrast).

Most of my mouse pads came from SCO (Santa Cruz Operations) when the gift shop closed. The pad I'm currently using says: "SCO Open Server. The Integrated Open Systems Environment" My guess(tm) is early 1990's.

There are custom mouse pads available. However, I haven't tried any of the services and don't know if they're worth the cost and effort. Also, I don't know what to put on my mouse pad that I would be willing to look at for more than a few months.

I've been accused of leading conversations down rabbit holes. Maybe:

I'm retired and now have less spare time than when I was working. I survive by wasting my time and money on small projects that enable me to simulate what it might be like to actually not work.