optical mouse?

They're pretty good providing you have a suitable mouse mat. They don't respond too well to rapid movements though, they skip about a bit. I changed back to an ordinary mouse due to better control in games. In their favour is the lightness of touch and zero maintenance.

You just need a mouse pad with good contrast all over the mat. It will skip if it gets confused at an area that is mostly solid one color.

You don't need a mouse mat with an optical mouse.
They'll run on any surface pretty much.
I use mine straight on my desk, no worries.
Definitely a good purchase Richard, I'd highly reccomend getting one.

I use the MS Intellimouse Exploreer model. No trouble at all with it, and I've not encountered any of the problems Fuzzy logic has had.

I have to disagree with X and Logic here. I have had an optical mouse for a very long time, using it on the oldest, most crusty funky mouse pad I have. It has always worked without a hitch. However, I only buy genuine Microsoft Mice.. always have. They last longer and are well worth the extra bux. I had a logitec opti mouse.. it lasted all of 6 months.
I say go for the optical, it's one of the greatest gadgets on my system.

Note - I don't use USB port for connectivity though. I use the little usb/ps2 adapter. I seem to reacall something bad happening when i had it connected via usb.
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Ball-mice are very hard to get anymore. Optical is almost all that's in the stores now a days.

My MS Intellimouse Explorer is in bits. I threw it across the room in a fit of anger after once more finding myself facing the wrong way in the heat of battle in UT2003. Not good for my stress levels. They may be OK for you but just don't have the control I need for rapid jerky movements within games.

Is the Intellimouse the one with the funky buttons on the side of it? I had one of those once. It was okay.. but now i stick with the standard no frills opti scroll mouse.

Yes, it has the extra buttons - which make it 'creaky'!

EEEEK.. then I agree with you on that one. Intellimouse bad... for fragfesting..

I recommend the Microsoft optical mouse. It's only $20 and will work fine in Linux if you like playing around with Linux too.

You do not need a mouse pad, but I use a mouse pad for comfort. I like to have that padding there for my hand to rest on.



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I love my Logitech cordless optical  mouse. 2 years without a problem, moves around as fast as I want. It has one of those creepy thumb buttons, that I have setup to open the startmenu, and the scroll wheel can be programed to do numerous things on click.

Same here Koasati,never one problem,works great on the desk,no pad.No jerkiness,scroll wheel is clickble.Batteries make it heavy and stable.Good shape.Uses a lot of batteries but I use rechargeables.It was a bargain at 30 $.

personally I like the wireless MarbleMan+ thumb/trackball for a mouse.

I think that there is a starter version Intuos tablet for $99.00 which is
not that much of an investment depending on how much graphics you do or
plan to do in the future? I think they might be found at a lower price with
some web searching? not sure though...

Fuzzy pointed out the one hang up I have with my MS wireless OptiMouse. When you
move to fast the cursor has to play catch up and it is not always true tracking
so you end up having to use Undo and then do it again. Though it might just be mine
doing that, not sure on that either...?

good luck with you eventual choice

oh, some of the Commercial Magazines have Online edition and they do reviews, you might
also want to look around for some of those before a final choice?

optical mouse................................10x better than a ball mouse in every way, unfortunatley my wirless optical eats up batteries as fast as a regular mouse eats cheese

Thanks, I appreciate your input, Richard

The first optical mouse I had required a metallic pad with a grid pattern of dots on it....worked a million times better than the archaic mouse-with-ball....and that was years ago [I think they were derived from the Amiga version].

Mechanical mice are at least cheap, so WHEN they are beyond crud-cleaning you can chuck-em...but that is their only advantage.

The MS Optical Explorer mouse is probably the best product MS ever released....even its shape may seem overdone but I've noticed a lot of imitators since.....probably because it ultimately feels so natural AND I've seen no symptoms of RSI, unlike with some of the older, standard shaped meeses...

 

I am not now, nor have I ever been a fan of almost anything Micro$oft, but I have to admit, I love the M$ Optical mouse for most things, and I wouldn't be without my M$ Optical trackball plus for graphics. I have tried several Logitech optical mice out of sheer perversity and regretted every one I bought after a day or two. And the prices on optical input items seem to be coming down quite a bit now that the technology is a little more mature.

My logitech is both optical and cordless (for 30 bucks) never let me down(almost a year old)

optical mouse................................10x better than a ball mouse in every way, unfortunatley my wirless optical eats up batteries as fast as a regular mouse eats cheese

You should look into getting a rechargeable model. expensive, but worth it.

I have a Microsoft Optical wheel mouse and I use USB connection. NEVER had any problems and I play ALOT of command and conquer. I got in off ebay for 5 bucks and it was in its original package, unused and brand spankin new.

Love the Logitech Wireless, No need for a high dollar rechargeable one, just buy a Rayovac Battery Charger for 30 bucks at walmart. Great for Digital Cameras too.

I'm with IR and Koasati.......Logitech optical.........one of the best buys i have ever made

IR, same here, both trackballs are marbleman+ opticals and are bang up dead on...

Even have one of the goofy ones that you use your finger tips on this huge ball for my wife because
of her CTS.

I also love the Multimedia MS wireless keyboard and optical mouse package on main system. Though a mouse took a bit getting used to after using a trackball or a digitizer puc for so many years.

unfortunatley my wirless optical eats up batteries as fast as a regular mouse eats cheese

yeah? My bro bought a newer microsoft wireless optical mouse and it needs new batteries per 2 months or 3.

Older models eats more batteries.

I use the Intellimouse Explorer Optical, I dont know what it is about this mouse, I have tried others but I like this one ALOT.I don't think I could ever go back to a ball mouse , it would be like driving a new BMW for a year then driving an old Pinto-lol

Do the people who use wireless keyboards and mice like to go a few feet away from their monitor from time to time? I have never found a reason to go wireless since my computer, monitor, speakers, keyboard, and mouse are all together at my desk. I have never had a desire to pick up my keyboard and mouse and control my PC from accross the room.



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