New tools that I don't understand.....

[Jester]

So my mouse has been getting stuck more and more, until finally it seemed to just die. It wouldn't move the cursor. So, being computerly inept, I went to my roommate, Mr. Anti-Social, and asked him to take a look. He confirmed that my mouse was, in fact, dead. He loaned me one of his (he often has spare computer stuff laying around, both for his own use and because he works on computers for people for extra money), and I told him I would go about getting a new one.

Since I was watching football today at a bar right by our local Office Max, after the Raiders shocked the Steelers and everyone else by winning, I paid my bar tab and went over to OM to check things out.

Ten minutes and $42 later, I walked out with a wireless keyboard/mouse set from Logitech. No, the salesman didn't upsell me....my keyboard, while still operational, was pretty old and very dirty, and frankly, why the hell not?

So, still getting used to the new equipment, but I like it. No, it's not one of those ergonomic keyboards that "splits" the keys into two halves....I can never get used to typing on them, and I prefer the old standard kind...but it's still new and a bit different, but overall, I like this.

Now I just have to get a computer that isn't older than my truck! (Only a slight exaggeration!)

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I know that the old Macintosh mice (the kind that had rolling balls in them) had to be taken apart and cleaned from time to time because they picked up dust, which collected on the little sensors.

Never had one "die", though.

[Broomjockey]

Never had one "die", though.

Well, if it was an optical, rather than a ball mouse, I suppose it could either be a wire leading to the PC worked loose, or broke, or the LED could have died, or any of a number of things.

But I've never had one die either.

Dude! Good luck with your wireless peripherals. My suggestion is find the longest range they have. Nothing tickled me more while I had wireless keyboard/mouse than the realization I could surf from my couch.

[Sliceanddice]

ive had them die alot
some times the ball wont move anymore
sometimes the wires inside fry
sometimes they just wont work anymore

[BookstoreEscapee]

I spent ~40 bucks on my mouse...a wireless laser laptop mouse. The usb receiver only sticks out a half inch from the side of the computer. I stopped using my old mouse (with my old computer) because the usb thingy was always getting knocked out. When I got my new computer I got a new mouse to go with it and I love it!

I brought the old mouse to work to use there, since I have a desktop and therefore the usb doesn't get in my way; but the cord on the mouse there was always in my way and drove me nuts. Though a couple weeks ago the battery died, so I had to use the other mouse for a couple days...forgot how much I hated the thing!

(Now, if only I could justify spending $60 on a laptop bag...you'd think a 17 inch bag at a reasonable price wouldn't be so difficult...)

[RestaurantDude]

(Now, if only I could justify spending $60 on a laptop bag...you'd think a 17 inch bag at a reasonable price wouldn't be so difficult...)

Frigging tell me about it. Took me forever to find a padded bag for my 17" PowerBook G4. Eventually got one from MarWare for not-too-much money.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Frigging tell me about it. Took me forever to find a padded bag for my 17" PowerBook G4. Eventually got one from MarWare for not-too-much money.

Target has a few; one's just a sleeve, but I need a place for the power supply. One is a sleeve with a handle and an outside pocket, and the other is a regular messenger-type bag. I figure I'll put it on my Christmas list and see what comes out of that. If no one gets me one, I'll get something after Christmas. I don't carry my computer around with me much; mostly I only bring it to my parents' house when I need my dad to do something with it.

[fireheart]

How long until the keyboard and/or mouse get subjected to a rule #1 violation?

[Jester]

t the old Macintosh mice (the kind that had rolling balls in them)

This was not a rolling ball mouse, but an optical one. And I couldn't tell you what was or was not wrong with it....that is my roommate's job. If he says it is dead, it is dead. I am too clueless in this department to argue with him.

Besides I like my new stuff. I am especially tickled by one feature of the keyboard: when I click caps lock or num lock on or off, it displays a message to that effect on the screen. Freaked me out the first time it happened, since I did not know about it, and had never seen such a thing before. (Did I ever mention that I am not exactly a computer geek, so much as a net geek?)

My suggestion is find the longest range they have. Nothing tickled me more while I had wireless keyboard/mouse than the realization I could surf from my couch.

It's an interesting thought, but since my computer is on my desk in my bedroom, the only place I could go would be my chair. Which is where I am anyways. And I couldn't do it from my bed, as it off to the side, not directly behind the desk. Also, if I were to somehow manage to move the screen so I could do this from my bed, I don't know that I would be able to read the shit on the screen. Besides, since I am prone to dozing off watching tv when I am in bed, I have no doubt that I would do the same while on the computer in bed...and then who knows what might happen to my new keyboard and mouse!

How long until the keyboard and/or mouse get subjected to a rule #1 violation?

Never. In all the time I have owned a computer, I have never sprayed it with mouth-born liquid projectiles. A while back I commented on the best way to avoid such violations when reading a GK post: Read, laugh, turn head away from screen, drink, savor favored beverage, swallow, turn head back to screen, resume reading. I don't violate Rule 1...ever.