rjd@nancy.UUCP (05/21/87)
A question for the floor:
In the next few weeks, I am going to order a mouse for my IBM XT. And
I need some info:
I have heard from a number of sources that bus driven mice are on the
way out, and some software will no longer support them. Is this true?
Are there any advantages to bus mice?
What about serial mice? Do I have to use a serial mouse with the
card they provide, or can I just plug it into my second serial port?
Any advantage/disadvantage to serial mice?
My only constriction is $$$: I do not want to spend more than $130 mail order
for the mouse. Also, my system is down to one long slot and one short
slot - I've been adding things to it like crazy lately ;-) - and I would
rather not use either of these up *if possible.* (That's why I want
to know if I can plug a serial mouse into my existing serial ports.)
Also, any recommendation of one brand over another would be greatly
aprreciated.
Thanks in advance...
- Rob DeMillo
Brown University - Planetary Science Group
UUCP: ...{seismo!harpo}!ihnp4!brunix!rjd -- or --
...{seismo!harpo}!ihnp4!brunix!europa!rd
BITNET: GE702025@BROWNVM
SPAN: BRNPSG::RD
CompuServe: 73537,2737
------
"...I am not so sure what you want me for!
Either your machine is a fool, or me..." -- "WarGames", CSN
clarkr@tekecs.TEK.COM (Clark Rasmussen) (05/23/87)
Distribition: In article <15694@brunix.UUCP> rjd@brunix.UUCP (Rob DeMillo) writes: >What about serial mice? Do I have to use a serial mouse with the >card they provide, or can I just plug it into my second serial port? >Any advantage/disadvantage to serial mice? There are no serial mice of which I am aware that require their own card. We are currently using a MS Serial Mouse on an XT and a Logitech serial mouse on an AT and both plug into exitsting serial ports. The Logitech is MS compatible, has better documentation, and a third button that is user- definable. Both are available mail order for about your budget ($130). - Clark Rasmussen - Senior Software Engineer, PARAMID, INC. ==/\ "We build software that works."
mellon@mit-prep.ARPA (Ted Lemon) (05/25/87)
Posting-Front-End: GNU Emacs 18.44 of Tue Apr 14 1987 on prep (berkeley-unix) The mouse systems mouse (I think) can be purchased with a special serial card which uses one of the interrupts on the second 8259 interrupt controller on the IBM AT, thus allowing you to have a mouse and still have COM1 and COM2 available for other devious purposes. _MelloN_ -- Ted Lemon _______________________________________________________________________________ |UUCP: {}!mit-eddie!mit-prep!mellon | New Media Graphics Corporation| |INTERNET: mellon@prep.ai.mit.edu | 279 Cambridge St. | |Project GNU, Free Software Foundation | Burlington MA 01803 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be all you can be; work for peace.
todd@uhccux.UUCP (05/25/87)
In article <15694@brunix.UUCP> rjd@brunix.UUCP (Rob DeMillo) writes: >What about serial mice? Do I have to use a serial mouse with the >card they provide, or can I just plug it into my second serial port? >Any advantage/disadvantage to serial mice? The two most popular serial mice (mouses?), Mouse Systems Optical Mouse and Microsoft Mouse, both work fine off of any generic serial port. The latest version of the Mouse Systems mouse no longer requires a separate power supply. >My only constriction is $$$: I do not want to spend more than $130 mail order I bought the old version of Mouse Systems mouse ($200 list) for $120 from PC Connection about 8 months ago. Since the list price of the new Mouse Systems mouse has dropped to about $160, you might get an even better deal than I did. >rather not use either of these up *if possible.* (That's why I want >to know if I can plug a serial mouse into my existing serial ports.) Yeah....I only have room for one serial port in my machine! The mouse Systems mouse works just fine. I had to throw an A-B switch on my serial port to share it with my modem... >Also, any recommendation of one brand over another would be greatly >aprreciated. I prefer optical mice because: (1) they track better than mechanical mice, (2) you can put the pad on your lap easily to use the mouse from that position, (3) you don't need to clean the thing. So, I recommend the Mouse Systems Mouse. I must admit though that the new Microsoft Mouse "feels" better in my hand. They did a nice job in doing an ergonomic redesign on their mouse. To those who will say that mechanical mice are better because they don't require a special surface, I remind you to go look in any computer store and see how many "pads" are being sold for the Mac mouse and the Microsoft Mouse. Optimal surfaces are hard to find....todd -- Todd Ogasawara, U. of Hawaii Computing Center UUCP: {ihnp4,seismo,ucbvax,dcdwest}!sdcsvax!nosc!uhccux!todd ARPA: uhccux!todd@nosc.MIL INTERNET: todd@uhccux.UHCC.HAWAII.EDU