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Mice and laptops

I am seeing people all over the place using laptops with mice attached. I just don't get it. To me it seems like you lose some of the advantage of having a laptop computer by insisting on using a mouse. Isn't the idea that you can just pick up the laptop, unplug everything and work someplace not your desk?

Maybe not everyone is used to the touchpad or the eraser pointer. Still if they are using the laptop at a desk the majority of the time I would think that dealing with the "other" pointing device would be worth avoiding the trouble of carrying, pluging in and finding a flat surface to use the mouse. So what do others here do?

posted on Saturday, September 24, 2005 8:47 PM by AlfredTwo

# re: Mice and laptops @ Saturday, September 24, 2005 9:28 PM

This phenomenon puzzles me as well. This is an interesting HCI question. Have we so mouse-trained our computer-using public that no other pointing device will do?

Didith

# re: Mice and laptops @ Sunday, September 25, 2005 2:20 AM

Yeah, I don't quite get it either. I love the touchpad personally and I actually find that I use the mouse alot more because it is in a convenient place. On my desktop I absolutely refuse to use the mouse unless I have to.

jalt1

# re: Mice and laptops @ Sunday, September 25, 2005 2:29 AM

it seems as though most people are so used to using the mouse on their desktops, they tend to look for it when they start using laptops, though for me I got used to using with the touchpad on my first go. But I still have a mouse around for those quick rounds of counter-strike on my laptop [CLOUD] or for drawing in Illustrator.

Aids

# re: Mice and laptops @ Tuesday, September 27, 2005 5:01 AM

Hmm. I reckon you just can't beat a mouse. I'm even trying to figure out how I can attach a mouse to my Imate Jasjar. Touchpads drive me up the wall, and don't get me started on that funny red thing on IBM laptops....

RobMiles

# re: Mice and laptops @ Tuesday, September 27, 2005 9:54 AM

Having first learned Windows sans mouse (once upon a time a mouse WAS an option ...), and in the decades since having worked with a mouse, a track ball, an eraser head, and a touch pad, I find I am most comfortable first with a mouse, second with a touchpad. BUT, when I'm on my laptop, I will only connect a mouse if I absolutely have to.
It is a little difficult to paint with a touchpad, and recently when I tried recording voice and screen (via Camtasia, great product for CBT) I found it almost impossible without the mouse. (A little of the "walking and chewing gum" issues there.)

Mr_I

# re: Mice and laptops @ Tuesday, September 27, 2005 12:36 PM

I do ok with both the eraser tracker and touchpad...but I do a lot of photoshop work...and it would kill me 10000X over if I had to do them all without a mouse :)

she_lim

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