> First off, a Mac mouse has one button. That is a conscience design choice
>made by Apple. No confusing the user with this ``left button/right button''
>choice---there's just ``the button'' on the mouse. Simply saying ``use the
>left mouse button'' may cause confusion because not everyone is right
>handed. On a right-handed mouse (or a mouse to the right side of the user)
>the left-button is used as the primary button, which is also under the index
>finger of the user. The right-button will be under the middle finger (or
>ring finger for three-button mice).
Some people say this is a hogwash arguement. I personally would like to
see Apple issue a two button mouse, but as long as 3rd parties are doing
it, I'm probably not going to argue.
But I CAN tell you, probably the most recurring statement I give over the
phone for windows tech support is "unless I specify right-click, it is
always left-click"... and this is to people that use the Windows PC every
day... and they still are unsure which button to click at a given point
in time. And despite that friendly reminder, they mess it up time and
time again ("I clicked, but no menu popped up" or the opposite "I
clicked, but all that happened was this menu appeared").
I will freely admit, when it comes to that issue, it is MUCH nicer on the
Mac. I just say "click" and they have no issues. If I want them to use
the context menu I can then specify "hold the control key", but then, on
the Mac, it is rare that I tell them to access a context menu, as there
are few times it is of any additional help except to a more advanced
user. Unlike in windows, where the context menu is almost a neccessity
for doing some actions... try it, create a new folder on the windows
desktop... without using contextual menus... now, try to explain that
process to someone that is having a hard time grasping left and right
clicks, and tell my if it is easier than just explaining "put the arrow
on the desktop someplace that has no icons, right click on the desktop,
choose NEW from the menu that pops up, choose Folder from the submenu
that pops out" (we will discount the repeat the process that occurs when
the person that can't handle a mouse clicks off the menu or clicks on the
wrong thing).
Or for the Mac varient... "hold the command key down, it looks like a
cloverleaf, has an apple symbol on it, its next to the spacebar.... press
the letter N".... There's no step 3... there's no step 3!
-chris
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Received on Tue May 07 2002 - 00:03:23 BST