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Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 23:14:22 +0000
To: "Michael H. Warfield" <mhw@wittsend.com>, Ben Ford <ben@kalifornia.com>
From: Jonathan Morton <chromi@cyberspace.org>
Subject: Re: Linux stifles innovation...
Cc: linux kernel <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org
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>> > On the other hand, they make excellent mice.  The mouse wheel and
>> > the new optical mice are truly innovative and Microsoft should be
>> > commended for them.
>> >
>> The wheel was a nifty idea, but I've seen workstations 15 years old with
>> optical mice.  It wasn't MS's idea.
>
>	I think their "innovation" was not requiring the optical cross
>grid mouse pad common on Sun workstations over the years.  The Microsoft
>optical mouse uses variations in the surface characteristics of whatever
>it's on to perform it's function.  The old optical mice just used two
>different colors of LED's (red and IR) and a special pad.  This would
>actually have to scan and track the surface below it.  Don't know that
>I've seen anyone do that before.

I doubt Micro$oft actually did the innovation there.  After all, Apple now
sell an optical mouse with similar capabilities, but with an innovative
overall design (almost the entire upper surface forms the button!).
Optical mouse technology has been developed continuously (with a fairly low
profile) since the early models found on those Sun workstations, and both
Micro$oft and Apple simply put said technology into their latest products.
Maybe I'm biased, but I think Apple did a better job of it.

--------------------------------------------------------------
from:     Jonathan "Chromatix" Morton
mail:     chromi@cyberspace.org  (not for attachments)
big-mail: chromatix@penguinpowered.com
uni-mail: j.d.morton@lancaster.ac.uk

The key to knowledge is not to rely on people to teach you it.

Get VNC Server for Macintosh from http://www.chromatix.uklinux.net/vnc/

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