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From: poirier@dg-rtp.dg.com (Charles Poirier)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Optical Mice.
Summary: Value of pads
Message-ID: <1990May3.213213.18542@dg-rtp.dg.com>
Date: 3 May 90 21:32:13 GMT
References: <18184@snow-white.udel.EDU> <8929@hubcap.clemson.edu> <23798@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>
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In article <23798@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> swann@acsu.Buffalo.EDU (stephen swann) writes:
>I'm beginning to question the value of
>mouse pads.  It seems to me that I had to clean the rollers inside less
>often when I just used it on a formica surface...

Unless the mouse pad is particularly absorbent, it won't much reduce the
need for cleaning.  The main advantage of most pads is to prevent the ball
from sliding rather than rolling.  A textured, non-porous pad may even
make the cleaning problem worse by trapping hand grease in the little dimples
such that wiping won't touch it, but the convexity of the ball makes great
contact.

Formica may be *so* smooth that much of the hand grease wipes off on your
sleeve or something.  I imagine the ball would skid a lot, though.  Just a
guess.

	Cheers,
	Charles Poirier   poirier@dg-rtp.dg.com