MacOS 10.3 (Panther) Multiple Mouse Buttons

[Garry]

Having only been a mac owner for a short while, I don't really know how Apple work as a company and what do expect from them.

Is it expected, generally, that OS 10.3 will include native OS support for multiple mouse buttons. Right mouse buttons, scroll wheels, all that sort of stuff.

Can someone hazard a guess, based on past experience with Apple, as to whether they'll release a revised Apple Pro mouse with two or three buttons? Or will we be forced to use Logitech/Kensington/Microsoft in order to make use of the new OS 10.3 feature?

[Dazzla Veteran]

OS X already has native support for left and right mouse buttons and scroll wheel. Plug it in and it's there.

[isus]

while i hope apple releases a new mouse, i hope it:

a. has 2 buttons and a scroll wheel. you can't beat a good scroll wheel

b. optical. duh?

c. bluetooth. we didn't put a chip in the pbooks for nothing, did we?

thsoe are my only hopes. personally, i dont mind the current mouse.

[xmr]

/me scrolls down using MS Intellimouse using 10.2.6... yep it's here alright ;)

I would like Apple to release a mod for the new Powerbooks (and any others that are the same) that allow the one button to be used as a two buttoned mouse (it has two independant sensors, they are both mapped to mouse 1 tho).

[Garry]

Dazzla - then why does the article recently posted in this forum, by Neyo, say that only Panther will have support for it. My understanding is that OS 10.2's (Jaguar's) suppport for it is application specific.

What happens in 10.2 when you right click on the dock?

[danbalsh]

  Katzy said:

Dazzla - then why does the article recently posted in this forum, by Neyo, say that only Panther will have support for it. My understanding is that OS 10.2's (Jaguar's) suppport for it is application specific.

What happens in 10.2 when you right click on the dock?

What you'd expect, the right click menu pops up (the same on that appears when you hold down the button on the pro mouse)

There seems to be a lot of confusion about this, this is not the first site i've seen with this post on, hopefully all will become clear at the WWDC soon.

[Dazzla Veteran]

You own a mac, why don't you just plug in a 2 button mouse and find out. It acts as if it would on windows. You don't need additional drivers, the right click defaults to the contextual menu and the scroll whell just works in everything.

[frod]

the middle mouse button is about the only one that i find app specific. for example, in camino clicking on a link with the wheel will open the page in a new tab. otherwise, left and right clicking work like they do in windows without any additional drivers or software. at least for me and my three button logitech mouse ;)

[gravel5839]

  Katzy said:

Dazzla - then why does the article recently posted in this forum, by Neyo, say that only Panther will have support for it. My understanding is that OS 10.2's (Jaguar's) suppport for it is application specific.

What happens in 10.2 when you right click on the dock?

you can see what happends when you right click the dock on your own, hold contol and click it.

[Diata]

i doubt theyd release a 3 button mouse standard...perhaps theyd have one available as an accessory though, wouldnt that be nice

[Garry]

I assumed it would do the same as a Control-Click or a Hold, but I wasn't sure. I was asking an honest question. They just made it seem, on that site, like the mouse support in Panther was going to be something special.

The reason I haven't tried it myself is because I don't own a USB mouse. :) Got a thousand PS/2 mice hanging around though.

[KingChris]

If you were ever a PC user you will appreciate a two button mouse or more instantly. Saves grabbing the keyboard for some things.

Microsoft mice work well.

[Koyder]

I don't get it. The most innovative company in the world offers a one button mouse. A beautiful optical mouse that in most cases ends up in a drawer because of this.

And it's about time Apple peripherals went Bluetooth!

[cerbero]

Yeah there's two-button/schroll wheel mouse support in Jaguar (I think it's been there since 10.0, but not sure). Just had to say it too :D

It would be cool if Apple released a multiple button mouse. I doubt they'd include it as the standard for their computers though, but it would be nice to be able to buy it as an add-on.

[Koyder]

Excerpted from http://www.apple.com/macosx/upgrade/devices.html:

  Quote

All Macs ship with a one-button mouse that makes it easy for novices to learn how to use and a keyboard that offers basic functionality. In addition, Mac OS X offers built-in support for more exotic offerings such as ergonomic and multimedia keyboards, as well as mice with scroll wheels and more than one button. That?s right ? if you plug a two-button mouse into your Mac, you?ll be able to invoke contextual menus when you right-click.

Wait a minute, back up, back up... Exotic? What year is this?

Edited May 18, 2003 by Koyder

[Silver Dragon]

<lol> Koyder, that's actually kinda funny.

-SD

[Schmoove]

Sometime I still wonder why Apple gives you a 1 button mouse with their machines. Personally I can't live with less then 2 buttons and a scrollwheel.

[Chad]

Because a one button mouse with the keyboard shortcuts is more efficient. Obviously for anyone coming from a pc, it probably won't be. They are used to 50 buttons and the scroll wheel. Personally, I use a M$ mouse because of that pc mentality in me yet.

[Diata]

i thought the same, but got used to having the one button mouse as soon as i switched. the only reason i would want more than the one + a scroll wheel is for games (and it is a bit of a hassle dragging the bar, but its not too much extra work on the hand)

[Slacker]

I noticed on the new eMacs that the mouse and keyboard are not as nice as the current Apple Pro mouse and keyboard. In addition, if one looks on the back of the new eMac keyboard and mouse, one will find that it does not say Apple Pro Mouse/Keyboard. Does this mean that they have made a cheaper keyboard and mouse foe the eMacs?

This is my guess, I bet that Apple starts shipping basic keyboards and mice with the new computers, and gives pro keyboard and mice as options. Perhaps Apple is planning on upgrading the pro keyboard and mouse to Bluetooth (and hopefully at least a scroll wheel on the mouse). It would be beneficial for Apple to make bluetooth deivces to get some of the money form MS's wireless stuff. I would also benefiet Apple to add a scrollwheel since people have asked for one since the beginning of the iMac.

I think it's a bad idea for Apple to not give thier best keyboard and mouse on thier new computers. After all, if you mass produce something, it's cheep to make. If you add your best to your product, it raises it's value; especially if all macs come with wireless keyboards and mice, while few PC's do.