Cranky hardware

[bellinghman]

Today, I finally gave up on my old mouse. It's done me well - a 5 button (counting the scroll wheel, which I don't use as a button) USB optical mouse. A Microsoft IntelliMouse™ Optical. But it'd been getting very cranky recently - the mouse pointer kept disappearing, and the LED inside was not staying on. Tesco have mice - even MS ones, but not proper ones with the right number of buttons. I tried the local computer shop, but they'd just sold the last 4-button mouse.

So, Cambridge. No way that I was going anywhere near Newmarket Road while the sales are on, but there's a place in Chesterton that I use on occasion. So, I arrive there, walk in the door, and say "Hi, I want a 4-button optical mouse, USB, preferably not wireless."

And the assistant turns to a bin behind him, and picks out a mouse wrapped in a plastic bag.

Yay! It's the identical model, but it works without the LED giving up, and the left button isn't half broken, and OMG, I'd forgotten how much difference a proper working mouse makes with some things. So, no driver disc (hey, Windows seems to recognise it), no armoured packaging, but it works. And it was a fair bit cheaper than it would have been a few years ago when it came with full packaging.

Comments

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

My opinion was always that Microsoft were wasted as a software vendor - their hardware is so much better. Up at least to the point that the XBox appeared.

(Note to self - look for proper MS Natural keyboard.)

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

Note from self - oh, my.