# iMac mouse problem



## macremorse (Jul 20, 2008)

New to Mac. Really disappointed so far. The very first thing I touch each time I start another session of trying-to-get-used-to-it is the mouse. And it sucks. I'm not sure I can explain it. It doesn't seem do have a one to one ratio in the amount moved on the pad as compared to the screen . . . or something. Very sluggish feeling. Have to pick it up and go back to the top of the pad for another "bite" if I'm going to scroll very far. Have tried adjusting it in preferences. Searched before posting but couldn't find anything very recent. I can't believe there isn't a solution. No one would ever get used to this. Like trying to drive a car with the steering working backwards. Just goes against human nature. Would love to lay down cash for a new one and forget about it but don't want to buy another one to find out it isn't the mouse itself but the computer. I can't help but think it has something to do with the absence of a ball. Has a light instead. I swear I think I'm going to send this thing back. A shame that I can't even get passed the mouse in my efforts to get used to this thing.


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## Hughvane (Jul 20, 2008)

Can we have a bit more info about the model of iMac and mouse. In the meantime, don't give up on Mac, there is an adjustment period that's longer for some than for others.  

If you want to do something in the interim, pop out and buy a PC USB mouse, cheap as you like, and try that with your Mac. As long as you're operating OS X (must assume you are or you wouldn't be here). I don't like Apple meece [new plural word ] either, so I buy cheap, generic PC types - or I did. Been using them for 3 years now, never had a failure yet.

You mention going to Preferences. Without actually knowing which version of OS X, there are several adjustments available in Sys Prefs.

No, I doubt it's to do with a ball vs optical tracking, the latter is more efficient.


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## macremorse (Jul 20, 2008)

It's brand new iMac 20", Ver 10.5.3. I declined the wireless Mighty Mouse option because wireless mice I've tried before felt sluggish (similar to this thing) when using CAD and such. I assumed the MM would have a rubber ball on its belly. But it doesn't. It has the red light. I can better describe the action now. It has 2 speeds. As you move the mouse across the pad it acts like any other mouse. But as you approach the icon you will naturally slow down. When you do the it drops into low gear. To accomplish this effect the ratio of inches per minute traveled on the pad becomes much greater than inches traveled by the pointer on the screen. One can very easy run out of pad. 

The best way to test to see if you have this phenomenon (as if you wouldn't know by the annoyance) is to put your mouse on the left edge of the pad after parking your cursor on the left edge of the screen. Move the mouse rapidly to the right edge and notice that the cursor has run off the screen's right edge. Now repeat at a much slower speed. My mouse will only move the cursor about 1/3 the width of the screen before it runs out of pad.

I saw a post on another forum written in '06 that said this was a Mac exclusive. It must be a design to keep you from overshooting your icon. Don't know. Just know it's very annoying. I called Mac tech. The guy I talked to says he knows nothing about it. I asked him how he liked his. He said he was using something else (not a MM). I asked about sending the computer back. He said he'd never heard of anyone sending one back. He talked to his supervisor who told him I had 14 days. I've had it about three weeks. I would gladly buy something off the shelf. Hate to spend even a few dollars though if the problem is in the computer. I'll probably try that.


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## SGilbert (Jul 20, 2008)

Update to 10.5.4 with Software Update (2nd down on Apple--top left)  It's a free update.

Best upgrade I've made in the last several months is Lazy Mouse (http://www.old-jewel.com)

Give it a try.


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## macremorse (Jul 20, 2008)

"Update to 10.5.4" Are you saying this update will help me with the mouse?

"Lazy Mouse" Sounds good. I'll get it. Thank you


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## DeltaMac (Jul 20, 2008)

Move the mouse quickly, and you get a lot of acceleration, and a lot of distance. Move the mouse slowly, and the mouse requires a lot of distance to move the pointer, and acceleration drops to near one-to-one.
I guess I have learned to move the mouse quite quickly point-to-point.

Would you really return the complete Mac, when you seem to only have a complaint with the mouse response? You should try a different mouse (I prefer Logitech or Microsoft), each will respond differently to your movements. The mouse response that you experience is the standard response of the mouse driver that Apple uses, and is much the same on every Mac. The standard OS X mouse driver has had much the same feel -  yeah, since Apple started using a mouse more than 20 years ago. I like it, but I know that some Mac users don't.

I have heard that many CAD users don't care for the OS X mouse drivers. I think the mouse is very precise, and just right, but others don't necessarily agree.
There are other mouse drivers that you could try, such as USB OverDrive, or - Some folks really like Steermouse - http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/27620


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## SGilbert (Jul 20, 2008)

macremorse said:


> "Update to 10.5.4" Are you saying this update will help me with the mouse?



NO....but it can't hurt either.


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## macremorse (Jul 21, 2008)

"Would you really return the complete Mac, when you seem to only have a complaint with the mouse response?"

I wouldn't return a car simply because it was a little difficult to see out while backing or if I didn't care for the control locations particularly. But if I had to turn the steering wheel 360 degrees to go around a gentle curve I would. 

"I have heard that many CAD users don't care for the OS X mouse drivers." 

You're educating me and that's why I love forums like this. Until this thing came up it never occurred to me that drivers had anything to do with it. I guess I thought a mouse was just a piece of hardware and their design controlled their performance. I never even thought about a mouse requiring a driver. So maybe there's hope in finding a driver I like coupled with a mouse that I like. I've endured many learning curves in my life and I'm better for it. But it's difficult to proceed with learning when the most essential tool seems more defective than different.

"There are other mouse drivers that you could try, such as USB OverDrive"

If I'm not mistaken that's the one I looked at last night that got blasted for lack of support on new Mac vers despite a good reputation in the past. But I'll look some more and I really appreciate all your help and encouragement. Thanks

www.ProjectCNC.wordpress.com


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## Mario8672 (Aug 6, 2008)

Dude, I'm using it right now and I think it's decent. Why would you be expecting a ball-mouse anyway? All mice after 2002 have had lasers.


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## macremorse (Aug 6, 2008)

Thank for the response Mario. Part of the problem is my date of birth: December 7, 1945. I've learned through this thread that most of the feel of a mouse is in the driver rather than the physical device. And I'm liking the Mac a little better since I downloaded a different driver. But I'm still not totally there yet. 

Other than the need to clean out lint occasionally I think it would be hard to build a legitimate case against the rubber ball. It's one mechanical device that seems better to me than it's electronic counterpart. Occasionally you'll see an instance of that. I think it's most evident when doing computer art work.

PS: Just for kicks-- take a look at Willy Nelson's guitar.


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## macremorse (Aug 6, 2008)

Willy's guitar


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## DeltaMac (Aug 6, 2008)

Mario8672 said:


> .... All mice after 2002 have had lasers.



It's not accurate to state that all mice are now laser mice.
An optical mouse (using LEDs as the light source), and a laser mouse (using a laser for the tracking source) are not the same. The optical mouse beam is usually red, but can be other colors. The laser mouse beam is usually invisible, or nearly so to the human eye.
Apple's Mighty Mouse is available with either. The wired version is an optical mouse, with a visible red beam. The wireless model is a laser model, with an invisible tracking bean.


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## nixgeek (Aug 6, 2008)

BTW, if you weren't aware already, the Mighty Mouse can be configured as if it had two buttons.  There are actually two sensors on each side of the trackball inside of the mouse.  You can configure any of the two buttons to act as a "secondary click" which would give you a contextual menu, just like a standard USB two-button mouse.  If that's still not good enough, you could just get a standard two-button USB mouse and use that.  OS X will support the secondary click natively right out of the box.


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## Mario8672 (Aug 7, 2008)

DeltaMac said:


> It's not accurate to state that all mice are now laser mice.
> An optical mouse (using LEDs as the light source), and a laser mouse (using a laser for the tracking source) are not the same. The optical mouse beam is usually red, but can be other colors. The laser mouse beam is usually invisible, or nearly so to the human eye.
> Apple's Mighty Mouse is available with either. The wired version is an optical mouse, with a visible red beam. The wireless model is a laser model, with an invisible tracking bean.


I wasn't aware of some of that; thanks Delta! Is there much of a difference in the laser (tail-less) mighty mouse?


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## VirtualTracy (Aug 7, 2008)

I found this quote regarding Optical vs Laser Mice:



> _The laser mouse uses an infrared laser diode instead of an LED to illuminate the surface beneath their sensor. This has significantly increased the resolution of the image taken by the mouse. The laser enables around 20 times more surface tracking power to the surface features used for navigation compared to conventional optical mice, via interference effects. While the implementation of a laser slightly increases sensitivity and resolution, the main advantage comes from power usage_



To the lay-person like me, the above doesn't make a great deal of sense or inspire me to rush out to buy a laser mouse but that doesn't mean they are not a great benefit to those who swear by them .... it probably boils down to what you use your mouse for?


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