Not a bad idea, but most mice out there still have only one or two buttons.
While three-button mice are cheap nowadays, many people will not switch to
Linux if they have to buy a new piece of hardware, no matter how cheap it is
(it's psychological). Also, new users of Linux can become easily confused by
too many buttons. I know it sounds rediculous, but it's true. A recent
example is MacOS X's support of 2-button mice, a first for the Mac (at the OS
level). Apple had avoided multi-button mice for years since they believed
that it would confuse people. Upon hearing of MacOS X's support of multiple
buttons, many users complained, and many developers wern't too happy with the
concept either. I know this all sounds stupid, but we need to ease people
into Linux gradually, without hindering more advanced users. Providing
maximum configurability is the key, and once people are used to the OS and
GUI, they should want to switch to more complex things in order to get their
work done better.
As for joysticks, Linux was in its very early days seven years ago, and
joystick support was not a priority back then. Unix had no joystick support
at all (not even joystick ports), and it didn't need it since it had no real
games (the main reason for using a joystick). Even Microsoft's joystick
support was non-existant; it was up to games manufacturers to provide their
own support. Many things *could* have been done seven years ago, but there
was simply no need, and there were more pressing issues to concentrate on.
On Thu, 21 Dec 2000 02:29, David Raleigh Arnold wrote:
> Not hardcode seven? Seven is obviously a *minimum* standard of support
> for a 3 button mouse. Look at how long it has taken x to provide three,
> and the support is minimal. They could have done joysticks 7 years ago.
>
> Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote:
> > Perhaps X should not hard code seven buttons, but rather have a section
> > in the config file specifying the number of buttons that you have (i.e.
> > you can change it to what you like). In a following section, the
> > functions of the buttons may be specified, or the user may choose to
> > leave that to the window manager. That way you could do something like
> > plug in a USB joystick (one of those complex ones with millions of
> > buttons) and use that as a pointing device. It could be useful for
> > disabled people who find it easier to point a joystick than a mouse.
> >
> > On Wed, 20 Dec 2000 14:15, David Raleigh Arnold wrote:
> > > Just as xwindows sets up, or fails to set up, a ps/2 or 2 button mouse,
> > > it instead should set up seven buttons -- period.
> > > Then the wm assigns and/or reassigns functions.
> > > The other way is going nowhere, because windows users have bad habits.
> > >
> > > Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote:
> > > > I like your idea, but this appears to be more of a job for the window
> > > > manager than for X itself, since different window managers have
> > > > different feature sets and different ways of doing things. As I
> > > > mentioned before, I quite like the Sawfish configuration options.
> > > > These allow a multitude of combinations involving the mouse, the
> > > > keyboard, or even both together. While it may not have everything you
> > > > may want, remember that Sawfish is a relatively young window manager
> > > > (compared to, say, Enlightenment and WindowMaker) and its feature set
> > > > is improving over time.
> > > >
> > > > On Mon, 18 Dec 2000 23:45, David Raleigh Arnold wrote:
> > > > > I think a new user should be faced with something like this:
> > > > >
> > > > > Xwindows Mouse Installation Wiz
> > > > >
> > > > > Button 1 [add] list of functions
> > > > > Button 2 [remove] list of functions
> > > > > Button 3 or 1+2 list of functions
> > > > > Button 4 1+2 or a-1 list of functions
> > > > > Button 5 1+3 or a-2 list of functions
> > > > > Button 6 2+3 or a-1+2 list of functions
> > > > > Button 7 1+2+3 or doubleclick 1 list of functions
> > > > > list of functions
> > > > > list of functions
> > > > > etc etc etc......
> > > > >
> > > > > He should be able to get to this by entering "xmouse" at
> > > > > a command prompt. This is mouse0. Mouse1 should be also
> > > > > configurable, bearing in mind that you can't have two
> > > > > *separate* ps2 mice, tho I understand that you can hook up
> > > > > 2 and use them. The buttons would share. They're just
> > > > > switches, after all. (So is a computer :-))
> > > > > Some of the functions need dialogs for pressure, axis, etc.
> > > > > We don't have this because W$ users have bad habits, and they
> > > > > continue to have a bad influence.
> > > > >
> > > > > Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote:
> > > > > > I agree with you - at least in part. I believe that Linux should
> > > > > > have legacy hardware support, but only if those like us are not
> > > > > > disadvantaged. As I've said before, Linux is all about choice. If
> > > > > > someone wants to plug in a
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Sridhar Dhanapalan.
> > > > Your mouse has moved. Windows must be rebooted to acknowledge
> > > > this change.
> >
> > --
> > Sridhar Dhanapalan.
> > Your mouse has moved. Windows must be rebooted to acknowledge
> > this change.
--
Sridhar Dhanapalan.
Your mouse has moved. Windows must be rebooted to acknowledge this change.
