“There are a lot of misconceptions about the Macintosh, but one misconception that has persisted is the myth that Mac’s are incapable of using multi-button mice. And those who know this myth is false still complain about Apple not shipping computers with two button mice. Gear Live cub reporter XIcarus wanted to share a bit of background on what many believe to be Apple’s stubborness to conform,” GearLive.com reads.
XIcarus writes, “Apple supports multi-button mice. Right out of the box. Furthermore, this is not a ‘new feature’ of OS X. Support for contextual menus (the primary use for the two button mouse) have been around since OS 8.6, which is now more than seven years old. Let me repeat, Apple supports multi-button mice. Even if you use a one button mouse, you can still access contextual menu through ‘control-clicking’ (Hold down the control key when you click the mouse button)… Although I can envision a day where Apple will ship with a two button mouse, they have really, really, really good reasons for sticking to a one button mouse.”
“Apple is always concerned with creating a user experience that is as intuitive as possible. Giving the average person a right mouse button is like giving a bald man a comb,” XIcarus writes. “Folks, those are the reasons Apple ships a one-button mouse. Will that change? At some point yeah. But Apple is in no hurry to ship something that they believe no one will use.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Welcome to our semiannual Apple one-button mouse article. It’s kind of ironic that when Windows users first see the currently-shipping Apple mouse, the number one question they ask is, “where are the buttons?” In effect, Apple’s one-button mouse has no buttons at all; the whole thing is a button. Of course, Apple may have solved the whole mouse button issue with their Mac mini – no mouse included, just pick your own. For the record, MDN’s favorite desktop mouse is currently a relatively inexpensive (US$39.99) Kensington StudioMouse with the multiple buttons (third button programmed for Exposé tiling (F9), of course) and a scroll wheel. The Apple mouse just can’t cut it. Mac OS X and at least a two-button mouse are a powerful combination.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Macworld Poll: 34 percent say Apple Mac one-button mouse a mistake – April 07, 2004
Why no Apple two-button mouse? – September 17, 2003
The time has come for Apple to ship a two-button scroll mouse standard – June 09, 2003
Should Apple reconsider the one-button mouse? – October 23, 2002
No one is bald EVERYWHERE, and if you have to use a comb, it should have teeth.
I use a Logitech MX500 — 7 programable buttons plus scroll wheel. I love it and would never go back to a 1 button. Curious to find out what the rest of you ravers use. “Different strokes for different folks.”
I agree with MDN. A one button is stupid and and a rip off.
Memo to Apple: Apple please add a 2 mouse button in all desktop your systems or reduce the price and let us buy our own.
The MS Wireless mouse is cool. MacAddict thinks so too.
I don’t know any overwieght people who use Macs.
Why? 1. A one button mouse forces you to compute w/both hands.
2. you work so fast-you’re done and can go play outside.
3. Can’t afford food after a Mac purchase.
Magic word “can”
nuff said
Amen, MDN!
Magicword: Added
Anything for you to complain….. A mouse is an input device and only requires an execution button that can be used with a key combination. Two button mice are a stupid waste of money and aren’t needed! If you play games, you use a joystick in any number of Multi input formats….. But the mouse has to be simple for everyone.
Bitch, Bitch, Bitch…..
Apple is wrong about the one button mouse. Having to use the ctrl key + mouse button requires the use of two hands. Right button requires one hand leaving my other hand free to comb my bald head with a two tooth comb.
i love the apple mice because they look good, but i have a logitech mx500 too and it’s really good… exposé programmed for the app switching button and clicking the scroll wheel closes the window. back and forward buttons for safari, and cruise control buttons for easy reading (hold the button down and it scrolls 2 lines at a time).
There was a rumor a while back about a multi-button Apple mouse that used an iPod-like scroll wheel. Now THAT would be cool…
The best thing about a Mac mini ( I got mine thursday) is that it does not come with a stupid one-button mouse. Now if they would only put 2 buttons on the laptops…
well, I can see where some people think they need a multi button mouse …. however… Ive been using a single button model since the 68k / OS 7.x days …. Believe it or dont.. my favorite mouse is the old Beige .. Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II ….
The most comfortable mouse Ive ever used ..
I dont access the contextual menus much, so, control-clicking isnt that big a hassle for me…. so, for me (at least) … the two button mouse is a non-issue…
(I can already see many of you cringe ..
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”LOL” style=”border:0;” /> )
I am, and always will be, a one button fan. (more buttons = more confusion and not more options)
However, I really believe that the real reason that Apple sells the Mac mini without keyboard and mouse is for the simple reason that although Steve Jobs wants to attract Windows users he has always insisted he will NEVER sell two buttoned mice. This way he can have it both ways – and package the mini in a cute box!
I like the one-button mouse. I use ‘mouse gestures’ for exposé and keyboard shortcuts for everything. When I bought my Power Mac nearly two years ago, I thought I would buy a two button mouse to go along with it. I still haven’t.
Long line the one-button mouse…21 years old and still strong.
I use two button mice with scroll wheels and pens on Wacom tablets. By far the best solution for me.
I totally agree mac dood, I’m in the same position on this subject. I don’t even miss not having a scroll wheel.
I have been a Mac user and fan for 20 years or so, but I have never understood their stubborness to go to a two button mouse. Ever since I used my first two button mouse on a Windows PC, I never went back. That goes for scroll wheels as well. I am one of many people I’m sure that never even knew about the control clicking option on a Mac until recently. I thought they were just way behind the times. Now that I know about the control click option, I have to use it sometimes when I am on my laptop and don’t have my non-Apple mouse with me. But control clicking is SUCH A UN-USER-FRIENDLY PAIN! If Apple is serious about wanting people to switch, maybe they should get with the times and supply a friggin user friendly mouse!
i have the studio mouse. it’s fantastic.
I use a 2 button/scroll mouse at work, although it’s not needed with the apps my employer uses. So there are no mouse transition issues at home Lots of Windows users don’t even know what the right-click button does anyway.
Speaking of home, I do own a Kensington Studio Wireless which is was so poorly designed for recharging that I just went to Wal-mart and bought a recharger and some extra NiMH batteries. Yet still, I usually find myself coming back to the Apple Pro Mouse. It just feels right.
One of the reasons Windows is so convoluted is because so many buttons = so many more options for MS & Windows developers to make things more convoluted.
Apple should stick to its guns with the one-button for application consistency.
macster-
using the keyboard with one hand, and the mouse with another is a part of normal everyday computer use (alt-click and drag to copy etc.) You do it all the time. What’s so UN-USER-FRIENDLY about control clicking? It’s the easiest keyboard key to find!
For some users, just having a one button mouse is probably OK or maybe even good (my Mom for example – the simpler the better) but I think for a very very large percentage of Mac purchasers, the one button mouse is never used and so is a waste. Apple should at least offer an option – “Thank you sir, and would you like a one button or two button mouse (with a scroll wheel) with that iMac?”
Personally I am a trackball man (talk about thinking different – I wonder what the percentage is for being a Mac User AND a Trackball User).
I am on a Kensington Turbomouse Pro Trackball which has 11 buttons and 13 different clicks with “chords”. Its great. I guess I am the antithesis of the quicksilver keyboard short cutter. Except for typing, of course, 80 percent of what I do can be handled from the mouse.
So personally I don’t think I would use even a two button mouse from Apple much. Maybe for when I go on the road. I would probably buy an Apple wireless mouse if it had two buttons and a scroll wheel – for road trips.
Altho I don’t expect Apple to come up with one, it would be cool if they had trackballs. My first powerbook (a 170) had a trackball rather than a touchpad. If that was an option, I would definitely go for that even if it cost more. Trackpads suck.
Macster, I don’t know if you realize this but you can also access many right click functions by left clicking and holding over an object (or one clicking and holding) try it over stuff in your dock.
Well .. I could think-different with a one button + clickable scrollwheel.
I have seen older, 60 ± newbies to computers, people with a multi mouse getting confused with the R-click.
To press -LH control- they did not forget, the scroll function they understood as well. So, Apple is even eldery and newbies user friendly.
Count me in as a one-button fan. Wouldn’t know what to do with a second button and don’t want to learn or be confused, just like the article says. (Mac user for 16 years.) I can count on one hand the number of times per month I do a control-click.
Stringbean- Maybe you have very long fingers and are used to the old fashioned pre-two mouse ways of doing things. Or maybe you are one of those geeks who thinks the mouse is for sissies and in your day you could control everything with the keyboard commands and the arrow keys. Ya, crank starting cars were cool once too.
No matter how you look at it, it is a hell of a lot easier for me to press ONE buton on my mouse and have my right click options available at the press of ONE button — all without ever having to touch the keyboard. For example, if i wanted to “view source” on this page on a Mac with one button, I would have to press the Control button using my left hand and with my right (mouse) hand, scroll down and click on “Print Page”. Or move the mouse up to the View menu, scroll down and then hit view source.
OR, with a two button mouse, all i have to do press the right click button with the same hand that is already on the mouse, and then press print. No mouse movement involved, and no unneccesary old school keyboard keyboard commands.
So if your old school ways work for you, thats cool. But I think it is about time Apple got with the program and added clickable scroll wheels and right click buttons.
I use Photoshop, Quark. Illustrator, Acrobat, Office and I use them for a living. I use all the iLife apps. And I use any number of other pro and consumer apps as they come and go. I may not be the greatest operator in the world, but I’m not bad. And I’ve used a Mac for 16 years. And I have always used a one button mouse. A two button mouse is strictly for amateurs.