Back on June 9th of this year, SteveJack wrote, “The time has come for Apple to ship a two-button scroll mouse standard.” Now that Apple has announced their newest mouse, the Apple Wireless Mouse, complete with one button (again), we revisit SteveJack’s opinion article.
“I have been a Mac user since The Beginning. I have used a one-button mouse, as per Steve Jobs’ decree, until mid May 2003. That’s a long time. Then, while in Best Buy, of all places, I picked up a Kensington Pocket Mouse Pro because I wanted an inexpensive mouse that would travel well in my backpack. And, of course, I liked the retractable cord that winds into mouse’s body via its “garage door.” After three weeks with it, I can safely say, the time has come for Apple to ship a two-button mouse with a scroll wheel standard,” SteveJack writes.
Full article in the MacDailyNews Opinion section here.
he speaks the truth
While we are making wish lists, add this one:
A TWO BUTTON TRACKPAD FOR PowerBooks/iBooks.
Yes, I know about control/click, but a right mouse click is so much faster and easier. Thinking diifferent includes adopting outside innovations if they improve the computing experience.
On the main subject, a 2-button scroll wheel mouse is pretty much standard everywhere in the computer world except Cupertino.
I love Apple, but the single button mouse really bugs me. And it is not really helpful to attract PC users either.
Why Steve? Why?
“Back on June 9th of this year, SteveJack wrote, “The time has come for Apple to ship a two-button scroll mouse standard.”
SteveJack has written a lot of dribble over the years – parcticularly on the now defunct MacWhispers. When is he gonna start writing that all his “rumours” were in fact lies and that he had no sources to speak of.
I am a happy one button user, always have been, always will be.
My left hand is always ready on the keyboard anyway, using option-click and control click, and for quick command S to save. So why do I want another button to confuse years of practice ?
If you want a two button mouse, go and buy one, why winge at apple for not making one ?
john: You’re confusing “Jack” with “SteveJack.” I’m actually the no-source Jack. So, this SteveJack mentioned here is innocent (of this charge), and certainly isn’t me. If you’re looking for a great place to beat up on me, there’s a terrific thread in the YourMacLife forums for just that purpose. Enjoy.
On topic: I also remain baffled by the sustained Apple commitment to the 1-button mouse and trackpads they continue to ship.
Compared to any Windows PC, Apple gives the user more choice with its mono-button mouse. A user can operate the Mac with a single mouse button but he or she also has the choice to plug in a multiple button mouse and use that. With a Windows PC you are forced to use a two-button mouse.
SteveJack – if you want a 2-button mouse get a PC you f**king loser! Jeez, these people who claim to be long-term Mac fans yet are completely out-to-lunch when it comes to UNDERSTANDING that ‘simplicity’ is the foundation of the platform!
i think some guys don’t get it, this isn’t pc programming, its object orientated language… why can’t u just click on it and it stays open…
Those of us forced to use the darkside PC’s at work get accustomed to the two button mouse. It is the ONLY thing I have come to like about the PC and I will be happy when it comes to Apple.
Apple probably does not wish to alienate manufacturers that already produce two-button mice for the Mac. I stopped using the Apple mouse a few years ago. Too bad, it sure is good looking.
Personally I love 2-button mice, love the scroll-wheel too. But, I work with a lot of users from 5-year-olds to the elderly on Windows machines and they never seem to figure out which button to press. Never mind that you can get by using only the left button and the left one seems most natural to me. They always press the wrong one. Keeping the one-button mouse standard means that programmers have to make it possible to use their programs with one button, and that’s better for most users. I don’t think it puts me out too much to buy another mouse that I like better than the standard one.
One button, two buttons, three buttons or even 9 buttons (for Logitech MX). USB mouse is as ubiquitous as Starbucks in New York city. Get what you want. Look at how much Apple is charging for the Bluetooth Mouse and keyboard. $70 each!!!! I bought my Logitech wireless MX keyboard and mouse for $90. So thanks but no thanks.
Apple isnt in the Keyboard and Mouse business. Let them work on computers.
Are there so many uncoordinated people in the world. How do you type capital letters on the keyboard? press “cap lock” on and off? Thing that looks like mirrored version of your right hand… its called “left” hand, use it, when you have a second button you cant use any other keys anyway. If you know how to use the shift key you can use the control key.
But then again, if you don’t like it, get a cheap USB mouse, When you order your computer get one at apple store, you are getting the mouse for free, so spend a extra $$$ for a nice mouse.
Here, http://cheese.com/ so that you have something to go with your whine.
Apple ships one-button mouse! Imagine that!
Get over it people! Apple will never ship a two-, three-, four-, five-, or six-button mouse. Period, end of sentence. Time and again it has bee proven the new-to-computers end user prefers not being confused.
For those of you ‘leet haxors who need multiple buttons, knock yourself out and buy one!
At least several times a year, when I talk about the Mac to PC-heads, I have to hear their derision in the form of, “but Macs don’t even have a two-button mouse, ha ha.” I hate having to say, “yeah, but you can buy a five-button mouse for it if you want…” it always sounds so weenie.
C’mon Steve, at least make it an option!
Lets get rid of the mouse…Its sooo 90’s
I like the single-button mouse, but I’ll admit that I was hoping the Bluetooth would have two butttons and a scroll wheel. Actually, the scroll wheel is the big thing. And I know that there are several 3rd party vendors who make them, but no other mouse feels like an Apple mouse. I don’t necessarily want them to make it standard but I wish they’d offer the choice to upgrade. I won’t part with my Pro Mouse until Apple comes out with one but I do wish they would. Of course then everyone would jump all over them for crushing the business of third party developers.
Any debate about the two-button mouse is silly. Apple should offer a two-button mouse (with scroll wheel) as an OPTION. This either-or question is a red herring. Apple doesn’t sell only one computer model; why should it have only a single mouse model in its product line?
Those individuals who like the “elegance” of a single-button mouse can get one. Apple can even continue to use this as the default shipping product. But consumers should not be stuck with the one-button mouse as the only option. Computers are tools — and as such they should be about letting people get work done in the most efficient way. I find that a two-button mouse can still employ an elegant design and that it (along with a scroll wheel) is indeed a great aid in screen navigation and access to common commands.
There is simply no good reason for Apple not to offer the OPTION of a two-button mouse. And while we’re at it, how about an ergonomic keyboard — again, as an OPTION?
Long live the Apple one button mouse! It’s functional, it’s good looking, it’s more efficient and it drives home the point that the Mac is different and better and easier to use.
The rumors are that a 2 button mouse is on it’s way (macosrumors).
Having said that I’ve been using a 2 button mouse witha scroll wheel for about 4 years now, I can’t do without it.
Programming the wheel click for cmd-h to hide an application instantly must save me hours of time a week.
I could understand a one-button mouse pre-contetxual menu days, but now? Come Steve, bite the bullet, swallow your pride an join the rest of us in using a 2 buton mouse, or at least give it us a build to order option.
Apple should stay out of the mouse buisness, it’s a slippery slope, you can’t please everyone and the profits are just not there.
Third party companies can out compete Apple because they provide mice for all platforms, means higher quantity, reduced costs and more profit.
I don’t under stand you. You do have an option.
When you are at Apple Store you have more then enough choices for buying Different mouse. Again this is up to the buyer, if they are experienced with two button mouse, they know they should get one.
Also how are you “stuck” with the one button mouse, are you stuck with Apple stickers that they put in with all the computers they sell? Don’t use it.
Obviously you are not a novice to computer, so when you are ready to buy a computer, should you try to get what you want? and doesn’t the Apple Online Store have different choices of popular USB mouse? And what would you rather have, a high quality One-button mouse or cheap-o crap-o, low end 3rd party mouse?
All of my relatives who bought Mac for the first time, never said “where is the two button mouse?” Only people who complain about this is people who have used a computer before so you people should be savvy enough to buy your own mouse.
This two button causing confusion has to be a joke. If it has two buttons, then it obviously has two functions. If it has one button then it obviously has one function. Stuff like contextual menus are made obscure rather than simple by having a one button mouse.
To say “if you want a 2-button mouse get a PC you f**king loser”.
A two button mouse makes it easier.
Now I have a pro mouse because I think it looks nice, but a 2 button jobbie would be better. It wouldn’t make simple tasks harder, but it would make difficult tasks easier.
The minute the OS supported contextual menus as standard, they should have shipped an optional two-button (plus scrollwheel) mouse. And make two buttons standard on professional (Powerbook, Powermac) systems. Heck, how about a beginner setting where both buttons do the same thing – a standard click?
I love my Macs. The new clear buttonless mouse (button in the case) looks lovely; it sits in the shipping container, while I use this crummy Macally two button scrollwheel mouse ’cause it’s got the goods.
You guys are funny. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BUY EVERYTHING FROM APPLE!!