PC Hardware in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition

Choosing a Mouse

Use the following guidelines when choosing a mouse or trackball:

Get the right size and shape

Mice are available in various sizes and shapes, including very small mice intended for children, the formerly standard “Dove bar” size, the mainstream ergonomic mouse, and some very large mice that have many buttons and extra features. Most people find nearly any standard-size mouse comfortable to use for short periods, but if you use a mouse for extended periods, small differences in size and shape often make a big difference in comfort. Although oversize mice such as the Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer provide attractive features and functions, people with very small hands often find such mice too large to use comfortably. Pay particular attention to mouse shape if you are lefthanded. Although Microsoft claims that its asymmetric ergonomic mice are equally usable by left- and righthanders, many lefties find them uncomfortable and so resort to righthanded mousing. Other manufacturers, including Logitech, produce symmetric mice for which chirality is not an issue.

Tip

Don’t assume that hand size and mouse size are necessarily related. For example, Barbara, who has small hands, prefers the Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer, which is an oversized mouse. She found that using a standard or small mouse for long periods caused her hand to hurt. Changing to a large mouse solved the problem.

Get a wheel mouse

Although some applications do not support the wheel, those that do are ...