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From: rudd@calvin.tmc.edu (Kevin Rudd)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: The Mouse -- What is its History?
Message-ID: <1114@helens.Stanford.EDU>
Date: 9 Oct 90 06:09:06 GMT
References: <90274.094731ELE@psuvm.psu.edu> <26801@mimsy.umd.edu> <10592@goofy.Apple.COM> <2385@runxtsa.runx.oz.au>
Sender: news@helens.Stanford.EDU
Reply-To: rudd@calvin.UUCP (Kevin Rudd)
Organization: Stanford University
Lines: 43

Is there any logical reason (other than Apple's GUI Police) that a standard
three button mouse could not be implemented in the Mac with the mouse
driver (or mouse hardware) selectable to return either:

   1.  a button signal for any button (the "Three Muskateer" configuration)
   2.  L/R one click, M two clicks, R/L three clicks (the "Lazy" configuration)
   3.  L, M, R for the appropriate button (the "Hacker Heaven" configuration)

This would allow anyone to use the mouse.  The 0th order mouse ("Three
Muskateer") is for those who don't/can't use more than one button.  The
1st order mouse ("Lazy") is for those who can remember and don't want
to keep making all of those rapid clicks.  And the exact solution for
those applications which are programmed to use these (optionally) as
well as those who use applications such as ST/80 or A/UX.

Now, before all those out there scream "NON-STANDARD", consider that the
Radius Pivot is non-standard (although they did come up with a rather
screwy "Radius Only" method of simplifying the flip status --- more info
for those who really care (email me and we'll chat --- I have the developer
guidelines and a new version of the driver) rather than specifying a
universal method of determing dynamic desktop behavior (perhaps in conjunction
with Apple) (oh, BTW --- if you're not good at reading Lisp-ish message
sentances, sorry...  at least Emacs gets my parenthesis matched...)) and
seems to be doing well.  Partially because it is a reasonably good product
and partially because it is a "tecno-toy" (Time Rider...).

Just like all fancy do-hickeys this three button monster could come with
a CDEV as well as documentation on how to appropriately control the beastie
with ADB commands in programs.  ADB may actually allow inclusion of flag
bits into the event mask (perhaps the character field?  I haven't checked
IM for how ADB/EM interact) so "smart" code would already know the difference
between modes.  Who knows. 

One thing for certain:  One button is two few and two buttons is two quirky.
(Apple and Microsoft, are you listening?)

Of course, I remember when mice ate cheese and were NOT a person's best
friend...

Mice of the world, shed your shackles!  Rid yourselves of your oppressors
and grow more buttons!

  -- Kevin