best mouse ever
Written: Jan 10 '03 (Updated Jul 10 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The most convinient input device there is, IMHO.
Cons: Not compatible with crappy KVM switch boxes (Belkin?) just like any mouse using MouseMan protocol?
The Bottom Line: You are going to love it. the best mouse ever.
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| muchandr's Full Review: IBM (33L3250) Mouse |
I consider the Scrollpoint to be a much better idea than Microsoft IntelliMouse (wheel mouse). You can also control horizontal scrolling and you don't need to continuously scroll the wheel in order to keep scrolling, just hold the little stick in the down position. The depression depth controls the scrolling speed. Overall, you save a lot of hand motions over a wheeled mouse.
The build quality of the optical version much improved over the regular scrollpoint mouse. The 'slate blue' color is really a sort of beautiful metallic grey and the stick is now lighted with a bright blue diode. The blue light persists even when my computer is "off" when plugged into PS/2 port. (It is a USB mouse with a PS/2 adapter), which looks great in a dark room. I presume a better motherboard won't lie to you about being off, like mine does, though.
You can download drivers from here:
windows 95/98:
ftp://ftp.pc.ibm.com/pub/pccbbs/netvista/qj6z35us.exe
windows 2000/xp:
ftp://ftp.pc.ibm.com/pub/pccbbs/netvista_drivers/qj9z24us.exe
(Note that there may be a newer driver in this directory later)
Linux/X instructions are here:
http://www.xfree86.org/4.2.0/mouse6.html#35
This mouse offers a regular middle mouse button just below the little stick for more convenient pasting in X.
The mouse is really made by Logitech and uses the MouseMan Plus protocol, so take care when using it with crappy KVM switchboxes, like the ones made by Belkin. Works OK with Cybex/Avocent KVM switches. Do install and use the original IBM drivers. If you don't, as suggested by another reviewer here, Windows will only recognize the mouse as a regular Logitech mouse and you won't get to use any of the advanced settings.
Note that these mice are no longer supposed to be available outside of the US. Too bad. Got mine for $53.90 from globalmart.com You could get the mouse for something like $45, I think, but this was the only place I found that would ship overseas.
Update: The mouse is actually made by Primax Electronics, not Logitech and I am no longer sure what exact protocol it uses. (It's called IMPS/2 according to XFree86) You CAN buy those directly from IBM outside of US, but only with a new machine, apparently! I now own two of those. (second one goes together with my laptop)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 53.90
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Epinions.com ID:
muchandr
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Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 1 member
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