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an experiment
Jul. 29th, 2010 04:35 pmThis is something of an experiment: I am posting this using a web browser, but without a mouse. It is possible, though a bit awkward, to navigate around Firefox without a mouse. As I've always believed that the computer mouse is like the hammer in the old proverb - "If you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail" - and has been applied in many places where it was not the most appropriate tool for the job, this confirms my suspicions.
My problems began when I found that my trackball device - which I much prefer to a standard mouse or a touchpad - was rolling sluggishly due to accumulated gunk. So I detached it to clean it out. Big mistake, apparently. After I re-attached it, the pointer started rolling across the screen without the trackball moving. Then I found that my web browser was starting to issue page-back commands without my touching anything. How the trackball was responsible for this, I have no idea, but when I detached it again, it stopped. I shall have to buy a new one, it seems.
My problems began when I found that my trackball device - which I much prefer to a standard mouse or a touchpad - was rolling sluggishly due to accumulated gunk. So I detached it to clean it out. Big mistake, apparently. After I re-attached it, the pointer started rolling across the screen without the trackball moving. Then I found that my web browser was starting to issue page-back commands without my touching anything. How the trackball was responsible for this, I have no idea, but when I detached it again, it stopped. I shall have to buy a new one, it seems.
