appleinsider is reporting that apple is developing a 2 button wireless mouse.
the report came from a reliable source.

Quote
"Apple enthusiasts have longed for an Apple-branded two-button mouse for over a decade, but their requests have gone unanswered. So what has changed? According to sources, 'it's the company.""

Noooooo!!!!

Yeeeeeeeeeesssss

im very excited about this report.
my apple mouse is the 1 peice of apple hardware i dont particuly like.

a 2 button mouse would be excellent and if its bluetooth and under $100 it will be very good value

They've been rumoring that since before OSX was released.

A 2 button mouse was rumored to be released with the OSX beta in 2000... and it's been on the cards ever since.

*takes handful of salt*

I am sure these have been asked before (please choose little rocks for the noob).

1) Why does apple only have a single button mouse?
2) Is it possible to use a two button mouse - does the second button make any sense as in windows (context sensitive)?
3) Is it possible to use scroll wheels?

1-no idea.its always been like that
2-yes.works the same as in windows
3-yes

I just use an MS optical USB mouse, if I ever need to use one. I can't live without my scroll thingy.

I've never used a wireless mouse. The wire breaks very quickly on Apple's laser mouse and the cheap substitutes I buy (definately with 2 buttons and scroll wheel) have this problem where the pointer jumps from one side of the screen to the other so I hope this new one is going to behave like a mouse wearing lead-wheel roller skates.

The single mouse button is there to encourage software developers to be thoughtful in the user interface design on mac software. (so they don't hide all the features in context menus)

You can plug in most mouses to OSX and they work fine. Right now i'm using a Logitech MX-1000 which has 10 "buttons" (it has side scroll). OSX also has right click menus, as you can see in the image.



Have a read of decryption's mac myths article.

You have only needed a 1 button mouse with any Mac OS.

Holding the mouse button down (in the finder) or pressing the control key while clicking the mouse (in the finder or applications) will bring up any context sensitive menus.

A scroll wheel mouse will work with a Mac, as will many multi-button mice for example a *shock* MS scroll wheel mouse with 5 buttons will work as MS provide a driver allowing you to allocate actions to the extra buttons. A standard 2 button mouse will be left and right click, a multi buton mouse as an example might have left & right click as well as next and previous page for a web browser.

How do you like the MX1000?

I have one and it's a damn fine rat (even though I use less than half of it's multitude of buttons...)

Does OS X use the back/forward buttons etc. on it's own or do you need to install drivers for them?

I love it.

The Drivers that come with it let you customise the function of each button.

Though - if you don't like logitech software, you can install USB Overdrive, which does the same thing.

What about the scroll wheel? Cause thats what people will complain about next. And then there's the issue of the hundreds of stupid buttons PC keyboards build on (for 'internet' and 'multimedia').

I will believe it when I see it and when Think Secret can confirm it. As far as I can see, I think the AI is illogical - the Mac mini doesn't even come with mouse, so why are people demanding a better Apple mouse?

So I have permission to complain about scrollwheels (or lack of) now?

I have an iBook 800 - I don't use a mouse on it, so you can understand how frustrating it is to try and get the mouse pointer to quickly land on the scrollbar.

I'm using SideTrack now and it's very good
- Scroll by moving finger up/down side of trackpad (of course)
- Expose & Show desktop on top-right & bottom-left trackpad corner taps
- AND right-click on bottom-right trackpad corner tap.

Which bring me back to the 2-button mouse.
I suppose it would make accessing context menus a tiny bit faster. I don't mind, as long as they can make it as good-looking as everything else.

BTW: If you can't afford the Logitech MX1000, check out the MX700. They're starting to get quite affordable.

As long as they give you the option of either a single button or multi-button mouse, I'll be happy. I have never got into the whole 'two button mouse' thing. I find them uncomfortable and not necessary (for what I do), and, I'm sure, for what a lot of other "non-serious" computer users do.

If the two button mouse comes as standard, I can see a lot of confused grandparents etc. "Which button do I use again?"

Long Live the Single Button Mouse!!!!!!!