Should Apple release 2-button laptops?

Two-button mice on MacBooks?

  • Yes. Might be worth the pride hit

    Votes: 52 70.3%

  • No. Singularity = simplicity = Mac

    Votes: 22 29.7%
  • Total voters
    74
K

krizzle

Gawd
Joined
Jun 28, 2004
Messages
902
It occured to me... Apple's laptops have always been superior in quality to any PC laptop. Now, with the advent of Boot Camp, quite a few enthousiast PC consumers are well tempted to buy a MacBook. I know, because I faced the same decision, and decided against it because of the single-button mouse, mostly. It's a bit pedantic as a reason, but even so - would not it be wise for apple to implement a second mouse button? Perhaps they could do it sneakily, a la mighty mouse, where it still appears singular. Is this a plausible way to sell more metal, or is it simply too unorthodox for mac?

I realize mighty mouse (or any aftermarket rodent, for that matter) is still an alternative, but it prohibits mobility... All would be solved with 2 buttons, IMO.

Your Thoughts?
 
They should put two buttons. Two buttons would be very useful. I wouldn't buy a laptop that only had one mouse button.
 
I think they should because its alittle annoying hitting the CTRL+click to activate the normal right click. I think it should be done in a way that wouldn't mess with the scroll function or the click on the trackpad.
 
Short of physically seperating the mouse button in two... i think they could use a similar non-mechanical approach, like on the mighty mouse. It would require some crafty engineering... albeit, apple's specialty.
 
Who doesn't use a right-click?

Macs are considered to be graphics machines yet one of the crucial features of Photoshop (a right click) is unusable on their laptops?

I call BS. Put the second button in, Apple. Enough with this one button crap.
 
I could really care less if they add or not add a second button. CTRL-click doesn't bother me and I wouldn't complain if they add a dedicated button.

They will eventually add some sort of right click. No doubt.
 
If they did it like the mighty mouse...

where the mouse knows whether you are right or left clicking, that would be good.
 
They could keep the single button design but make that single button press down seperately on each side, therefore giving two buttons.
 
how about something like what you could do with sidetrack, and put right click in a corner of the trackpad. i've never had a problem with one laptop button, i gave on an external mouse about 2 years ago now.
 
Orr said:
They could keep the single button design but make that single button press down seperately on each side, therefore giving two buttons.
Click to expand...
Exactly what I was thinking. APPLE, ARE YOU LISTENING?!?! :D

either that or do a software hack so where if you hold down the button and then doubletap the trackpad that would do a rightclick as well.
 
buzzard34 said:
either that or do a software hack so where if you hold down the button and then doubletap the trackpad that would do a rightclick as well.
Click to expand...

I like that idea. Wonder if that's possible to impliment now?
 
Orr said:
They could keep the single button design but make that single button press down seperately on each side, therefore giving two buttons.
Click to expand...
That ruins the ergonomics of the laptop. Think about it: where is your hand when you're using the track pad? Right over the button.
 
I guess it all depends how you use the button thats there, I move the cursor with my left index finger mainly on the left half of the trackpad and press the button with either my left index finger or pad of my left thumb. I can see using half of the button for a left click and the other half for the right click.
 
No... because they won't do a *normal* 2 button mouse... oh no... They'll impliment some sort of new technology, like they did in the Mighty Mouse, to further complicate the mousing process :p. As handy as this would be, I don't think it'd be worth the cost increase (60$ for the Mighty Mouse, I can get a really nice Logitech gaming mouse for that)...
 
There is no need for a 2nd button, I think Apple has proven this to be true.
 
Give the consumers the option.

2 pads. Interchangable. Free upgrade at any Apple store if the user is a Windows user.

Thats what I suggest.
 
DeadlyAura said:
Give the consumers the option.

2 pads. Interchangable. Free upgrade at any Apple store if the user is a Windows user.

Thats what I suggest.
Click to expand...

That would just make it harder unless they wanted to change the design some. I would love to see the 2 buttons though.
 
Arcygenical said:
No... because they won't do a *normal* 2 button mouse... oh no... They'll impliment some sort of new technology, like they did in the Mighty Mouse, to further complicate the mousing process :p. As handy as this would be, I don't think it'd be worth the cost increase (60$ for the Mighty Mouse, I can get a really nice Logitech gaming mouse for that)...
Click to expand...
The whole issue with the Mighty Mouse is that you cannot hold left down and right click at the same time (and vice versa).

For $60 you just bought a mouse that has less functionality than a $3 USB bargin bin mouse.

Looks cool, but I demand functionality for my money.

Hopefully if they set up 2 buttons for a laptop they do it correctly. It needs it.
 
Rocketpig said:
Who doesn't use a right-click?

Macs are considered to be graphics machines yet one of the crucial features of Photoshop (a right click) is unusable on their laptops?

I call BS. Put the second button in, Apple. Enough with this one button crap.
Click to expand...
hellloooo! where have you been? Control clicking in mac os X = Right clicking. AND you can use just about any PC mouse if you REALLY want the right click button


but i do agree, it needs to have something like the MM
 
It would be a pain in the ass to use the trackpad for graphics work, regardless of product brand.
 
Jesus H Fucking on a pogo stick, no! HELL NO! Laptops are an ergonomical distaster enough as it is. Sticking more than one mouse button them doesn't help; it makes it even worse!
 
Black Morty Rackham said:
Jesus H Fucking on a pogo stick, no! HELL NO! Laptops are an ergonomical distaster enough as it is. Sticking more than one mouse button them doesn't help; it makes it even worse!
Click to expand...
:confused:

wow damn, its not like we're adding a coffeemaker or several levers to a latop you know, just another button that will be unobtrusive as possible.
 
buzzard34 said:
:confused:

wow damn, its not like we're adding a coffeemaker or several levers to a latop you know, just another button that will be unobtrusive as possible.
Click to expand...
Trackpads suck. Sure, they're the best thing we can stick on a laptop at this time, but they still suck. From an ergonomic point of view, they're horrible. By having just one big button, they get slightly less horrible, since you have a larger target area and you can thusly position your hand in a more relaxed way. With two (or more) buttons, you have less freedom to position your hand in a comfortable manner.
 
I hate Macs and one of the many reasons is the single button mouse. MORE functionality, not less, morons :rolleyes: I need my scroll wheel/3d button as well as my shoulder buttons. I don't think I could live without them :p
 
Black Morty Rackham said:
Jesus H Fucking on a pogo stick, no! HELL NO! Laptops are an ergonomical distaster enough as it is. Sticking more than one mouse button them doesn't help; it makes it even worse!
Click to expand...

Yeah, cause then you have to use two fingers to count your mouse buttons instead of one, reducing your productivity by 10%.

Personally, I prefer a 2nd mouse button over control clicking, it is just more comfortable for me.
 
Black Morty Rackham said:
Trackpads suck. Sure, they're the best thing we can stick on a laptop at this time, but they still suck. From an ergonomic point of view, they're horrible. By having just one big button, they get slightly less horrible, since you have a larger target area and you can thusly position your hand in a more relaxed way. With two (or more) buttons, you have less freedom to position your hand in a comfortable manner.
Click to expand...



Not true.

One of the most ergonomically pleasing input devices on a laptop doesn't have 1 button.
It doesn't have 2 buttons.
It has 3 buttons.

The Trackpoint, specifically IBM's trackpoint, is, ergonomically speaking and personally speaking, arguably the best input device out there. (I don't care for Toshiba's layout of the mouse buttons, and Dell's mouse buttons are too stiff for my liking).

Your hands don't move from the keyboard, they stay on home row. Your thumbs can do the clicking, but your hands never leave the keyboard. The middle button allows you to scroll up and down and around in windows.

But, you'll never see Apple adopting a trackpoint. ;)




Plus, if you can train your 8 fingers to use over 80 keys on your keyboard without significant moving of your hand, I think you can figure out how to operate more than 1 button on a touchpad. Jesus, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard this month.
 
4b5eN+EE said:
hellloooo! where have you been? Control clicking in mac os X = Right clicking. AND you can use just about any PC mouse if you REALLY want the right click button


but i do agree, it needs to have something like the MM
Click to expand...

Oh, I know you can ctrl+click but since I use my left hand for hot keys in Photoshop, it always bugs me when I'm working on a laptop to have to move my hand to the control button to do something as simple as right click. And I use right click A LOT.
 
Generaluser45, I second that.

As I said earlier, I didn't choose a MacBook for my university laptop a few weeks ago. I Chose a Thinkpad T60. I thought the trackpoint in the middle of the keyboard was a completely useless feature until I actually started using it.

Like you said, no moving from home row as you type. It's humongously usefull while word processing... don't loose any time moving from trackpad to keyboard. And, if you must resort to trackpad, you can use your thumb as left-click on the trackpad's buttons, and middle or ring for right-clicking on the trackpoint's buttons above. Very well thought out.

But back to the issue... I hope apple employees occasionally visit this place.
 
Rocketpig said:
Oh, I know you can ctrl+click but since I use my left hand for hot keys in Photoshop, it always bugs me when I'm working on a laptop to have to move my hand to the control button to do something as simple as right click. And I use right click A LOT.
Click to expand...
k...just making shure

hot tip:

i use the part of my hand directly below my finger, or the biggest part of your pinky (the bottom). it keeps you hands in the "home" row position (although i don't type like that)
 
I don't see anything wrong with Ctrl-Click. That's what I did on my PowerBook G4. I'm used to using the home row which means I can move my right hand pinky finger up to "1" and then push down Ctrl with my knuckle. It's a really simple and fluid motion, but I guess it requires you to know how to type first.
 
I use a trackpad driver called sidetrack that lets me define if I want a tap on the pad itself to be right or left click or the button to be right or left. Or if i move a finger to a designated spot then the button becomes a right click. I also use trackpad corners so when i tap the upper right hand corner it does a expose of all windows.

this is all I need. and for the people talking about two button use for photoshopping....using a trackpad for photoshop would defiantely be a challenge.
 
sap said:
I don't see anything wrong with Ctrl-Click. That's what I did on my PowerBook G4. I'm used to using the home row which means I can move my right hand pinky finger up to "1" and then push down Ctrl with my knuckle. It's a really simple and fluid motion, but I guess it requires you to know how to type first.
Click to expand...
exactly what i was trying to describe :p
 
Kaos said:
I use a trackpad driver called sidetrack that lets me define if I want a tap on the pad itself to be right or left click or the button to be right or left. Or if i move a finger to a designated spot then the button becomes a right click. I also use trackpad corners so when i tap the upper right hand corner it does a expose of all windows.

this is all I need. and for the people talking about two button use for photoshopping....using a trackpad for photoshop would defiantely be a challenge.
Click to expand...
Does that work for both Mac and Windows?
 
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