29 January 2005

Why Apple Makes a One Buttoned Mouse [via]

“Apple is always concerned with creating a user experience that is as intuitive as possible. Giving the average person a right mouse button is like giving a bald man a comb.”

I see a fourth reason — or rather a first one — that I intended to blog when I’d get a Mac, but I’ll offer it to you now, prompted by this link (and so that I can say it’s not my fault if you think I’m wrong, it’s just I don’t have a Mac yet): paradoxically enough, it’s because MacOS isn’t designed for power users to keep their hands locked on the keyboard (unlike Windows).

With a multi-button mouse, each time your hand switches from keyboard to mouse, you have to take it exactly in an exact way, each finger in its right place — which isn’t a problem for the keyboard, because it doesn’t move, whereas the mouse is always in a different position (and, often, orientation). With an Apple mouse, all you have to do is throw your hand in the general direction of the mouse and, as long as a couple of fingers did land on it, you can operate. Seems negligible? Nothing ever is, when it comes to ergonomics.

However, even if I can imagine getting used to ctrl-click, I can hardly see myself living without a scroll wheel. There is no keyboard shortcut for that, is there?