Why isn't there right-click in OS X yet?

[Matrix Agent]

Yes, I know that right-click is implemented, but Apple is just about denying its very existance. It was my thought that a two button mouse would come out at the same time as 10.1 Every time I want to close a minimized window or view the contents of a docked folder I should be able to simply right-click. What I am really looking for is a Two button Apple Pro Mouse, and I would also like to see the ability to close out minimized windows by right clicking them, it just seems so natural that its a wonder they don't include it. Your thoughts?

[kilowatt]

I don't have much to base this on, but I've heard from some apple people and rumor threads that Apple has a few different prototypes.

Could be all a hox, though.

I've noticed that I can right-click in os9 and do much more than I can in 10. Although that opinion is changing fast with 10.1.

[mcasteel]

My non-Apple USB mouse does right-clicks on OS X. Thankfully, it is actually doing left-clicks for me, since the new Darwin code let me change the USB mouse driver to left-handed operation. The scroll wheel works on most of my favorite OS X apps (by no means all--e.g. Opera).

So, you don't need to wait for Apple if you don't want to.

[symphonix]

The impression I get is that Apple want to avoid any unwanted complexity, and putting two buttons on the mouse only confuses the newbies. G.O.K. how they cope with those five-or-six button Micro$oft contraptions.
There are always stories circulating in Mac support circles of people who had the mouse pointing backwards and had learned to pilot them upside-down, simply because they didn't know any better. People are often spotted running mice up walls, or down the side of the desk, when they run out off room. In short: people are a problem. If they added another mouse button, that would stir up merry hell in their tech-support and forums.
Anyhew, my Logitech wheel-mouse optical works fine in OSX.

[fryke]

Apple was asked for two and three button mouses for years now, and they always stated the same thing (no assumptions or rumours needed here):

'The Macintosh can be used with one mouse button. We want this to be the easiest experience for new users.'

Or something along these lines. Of course power users always wanted more buttons, but then again they always had the chance of doing so. Kensington trackballs have been around for Mac forever now, and so have Logitech mouses. As long as Apple does a context sensitive menu with ctrl-mouseclick, this is no problem at all, because you can program your mouse to use that. And in Mac OS X the right mouse button is automatically set to do just that without any third party software.

However some betas of Carbon applications (namely Illustrator, InDesign) have problems with it. They give you a menu on ctrl-clicking alright, but they don't on right mouseclick. Guess that'll be fixed until release, though.

[GadgetLover]

I own a Wacom Graphire2 and it has THREE buttons (a left and right button PLUS a clickable scroller wheel!) all for only $99. And even without Wacom's drivers it all works fine. Wacom has X beta drivers out (its feature set is great but I've noticed a few bugs in the beta so I removed it for now -- but it DOES work).

Best $99 I spent in a while... also comes with TOUCH-SENSATIVE pen (with eraser!).

[Matrix Agent]

I know that plenty of two-buttom mice exist. The problem is, I have my heart set on having an Apple branded two-button mouse, I just like the design too much. I guess eventually there will be a two buttom mouse which I like.

I'll just keep waiting, my pro mouse is great anyway.

[jweisbin]

I have an MS Intellimouse Explorer, and its the best mouse I've ever used, it blows away the Apple Pro mouse. 4-buttons and a scroll wheel, 2 buttons and the scroll wheel are recognized by OS 10 (even better in 10.1) without any added drivers. You can scroll finder windows and terminal windows, as well as Internet Explorer windows, with the wheel, and right-click away.