Ergonomic Software Eliminates Mouse Clicking 141
ThinSkin writes "GentleMouse is an ergonomic software program that eliminates the need to click the mouse by translating cursor movements into mouse actions, providing an easy way to perform mouse actions without manually pressing buttons or scrolling. ExtremeTech's review of the GentleMouse provides an in-depth look of this unusual software and was quite pleased with its "intuitive interface, execution, and software options" but the software "cannot overcome issues in certain apps where clicking a mouse is essential, such as when gaming or designing graphics." Here's a video tutorial of the GentleMouse in action."
All well and good (Score:5, Funny)
You're trying to be funny... (Score:1)
At this rate I don't expect it to work much longer (or I applaud their tech).
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You Don't Mean to say.........
Your Cursor's Foild Again!?
www.rsiguard.com (Score:1)
Yeah, I want it too ! (Score:2)
Doing complex gestures with the pointer is just so much more convenient than having to press one damn single button !
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I like clicking! (Score:1)
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In the old days, I would tap my pencil or chew on a pen cap
when I was thinking through a problem or just wasting time.
In the digital age, clicking the mouse repeatedly and
rapidly is my new vice. I need help, and admission is the first
step.
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Apple will probably be the first to make one. It seems like just the kind of thing they would have loved to come up with first.
(Disclaimer: I've been using and loving Macs since 1987)
What will I do with my OCD? (Score:1)
finally (Score:1)
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(by the way: you get A LOT of stuff delivered soon...)
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Drat, where are my mod points when I need them. You, sir, deserve a roflcopter, and then some!
Solution without a problem? (Score:1)
crapola (Score:4, Insightful)
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I was fine running programs from my prompt. Now that I finally got used to clicking here and there, they say there is no click anymore...
What is coming next? No mouse?
Revolutionary software removes the need of clicks... it translates "enter" into left click and "esc" into right click! (Sounds like an Apple marketing strategy).
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Back when I used mouse instead of touchpad, mouse gestures were terrific. I love 'em. Will I still love them when they're sixty-four? Maybe not.
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That said, I make sure to disable gestures - who wants a slight movement of the mouse to cause a click, or worse. Mouse gestures are dumb.
Just because you don't need it... (Score:2)
Yeah, mouse gestures are so great. Nothing like some piece of crap software randomly interfering with what you are trying to do.
My mom has severe arthritis in her hands. Clicking is painful. Drag and drop just doesn't work. She was an executive secretary for 20 years and could type gawd-awful fast, but these days it is painful enough that navigating the keyboard for shortcuts is pretty slow and frustrating. For her, mouse gestures are the best way to use her computer, but none of the existing software that we have found really fills her needs (drag and drop is pretty difficult). I can't get to the website (slashdotted?), but I
How about no mouse clicks at all? (Score:2, Interesting)
Great, now only 4 fingers to go (Score:5, Insightful)
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The thing that annoys me with those touch pens is being able to do a click and try not to break the screen at the same time.
Re:Great, now only 4 fingers to go (Score:5, Interesting)
It is an ingrained thought process in humans to see, reach and grab. The mouse translates this to the computer interface: we see something we want, we "reach" to it with the pointer, and we "grab" by clicking on it. I think it works pretty well, except for those unfortunate enough to have a physical disability such as arthritis.
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CLI, keyboard shortcuts, MouseKeys (Score:2)
So learn to use a proper CLI [slackware.com] and solve your problem.
Alternatively, popular GUI's (Windows most of all) allow you to control virtually everything with the keyboard.
And for those who really passionately hate the mouse, or can't use it for some other reason, there's something called MouseKeys [microsoft.com] that you can turn on to move the pointer with the keyboard.
Trackpoint, anybody? (Score:1)
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Trackpoint,any one? (Score:1)
There is a desktop solution available, too:
http://www.pckeyboard.com/pdf/Onthestick.pdf [pckeyboard.com]
--
No one ever got fired for buying Lenovo. Or something like that...
Coming soon... (Score:5, Funny)
The GentleMouse GX - You not only don't have to touch the mouse, you don't have to even be near the computer thanks to the new DARPA MindLink WaveSender Interface (Majestic Ultra DOD security rating required and available separately). Now you fat lazy bastards don't even have to get out of bed!
The GentleMouse EXTREME! - The entire computer is just an neurochemical overlay in your brain. Perfect for coma patients, or people who wish they were in a coma. Your subconscious mind does all the work without any intrustion into conscious awareness. You'll just have to trust us that it's working.
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It's not that new (Score:2, Insightful)
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I've been totally addicted to Opera's mouse gestures since their first introduction, installed Optimoz near its inception and have used StrokeIt since I discovered it ... but I'm not sure that GentleMouse is exactly what I want.
Dexterity Check, DC 15 (Score:2)
OMG (Score:5, Funny)
We have hit an all new low on the laziness scale.
The solution more complex that the problem? (Score:5, Interesting)
In my opinion the perfect input device should not have moving parts, just two microphones. Here's a description of a purely acoustic keyboard.
http://nanoquimica.awardspace.com.nyud.net:8080/S
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They can't be serious... I use keyboards which cost me $5, costly? My ass. These keyboards will last for years, and basically I dispose of them when I cannot be bothered to clean them anymore. I don't buy into the wireless crap, or the crap keyboards with 15 extra buttons and an integrated calculator I don't need.
Furthermore, this system has the same problems as voice-input -- it can do silly things if other stuff is going in the room. It doesn't seem to allow for you
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Already Exists: (Score:2)
Unfortunately, without tactile feedback as to the position of your fingers on the keys, it's pretty easy to get lost. You use the edges of the keys to calibrate your fingers on a moment-to-moment basis, even if you don't realize it. And the deceleration of a rubber mat is a lot more forgiving on your fingers than tapping away on a cheap particle board desktop.
So it's a good idea, but in practice it falls a little short.
wow! (Score:2)
Re:At least we can all agree to kill "double-click (Score:2)
FINALLY (Score:1)
Oh wait, it only runs on Windows.
RSI? (Score:4, Interesting)
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I never warmed to the genre once the technological coolness wore off, so losing the ability to play them when I quit using a mouse was no problem. They seem to be popular around Slashdot, though.
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I tried more 'ergonomic' mice for a while and the pain I'd feel every time I clicked lessened. Four buttons mapped to click, double-click, click-toggle, and rig
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RTS? (Score:2)
AFAIK they're doing fine. On the other hand, they can spend $100 on a mouse, and are not using el-cheapo brands.
In my experience the mouse shape and quality are very decisive factors. I'm 29, I use a Logitech MX-500 and doing 120 clicks per minute during half an hour makes absolutely no impact on me. However using another mouse just for Web browsing makes me feel very uncomfortable very soon.
To all the whiners:
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For a mouse without buttons... (Score:2)
Typical Windows-centric review (Score:2, Troll)
This really shows how Linux or Mac users are non-existent in the world of ExtremeTech.
Nothing to see here, move along.
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*sigh* Slashdotted. (Score:1)
Obligatory HHGTG (Score:1)
A better way to save yourself from RSI (Score:1)
Am I the only one... (Score:2)
meh (Score:1)
Good for the disabled, maybe (Score:1)
Great! (Score:2, Funny)
Got rid of mouse clicks by adding annoying menus (Score:1)
"For that brief second while you hover over a link, a small transparent window pops up and displays a list of common click commands. You can select a command simply by moving the cursor over that desired command..."
what about ActiveClick... (Score:1)
http://www.activeclick.com/ [activeclick.com]
If you go to the ActiveClick homepage - it gives you the serial # to unlock ActiveClick without paying for it.
And for linux users (Score:1)
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Maybe I'm wrong.. (Score:1)
I suppose some people might find this software to be more comfortable, but as someone who moves around on their mouse and keyboard really quickly (People watching me use my computer tend to get confused and ask how the hell I have any idea what I'm doing), I doubt this would really help me that much.
But hey, there's a lot of people out there, with a lot of different computer h
Not such a good idea (Score:1)
Great idea, and toy, but I can't see it ever hitting mainstream. It would definitely have its uses for accessiblity a
Oh great... (Score:1, Interesting)
I click my mouse thousands of times per day and that's hardly a problem for my wrists. I get much more pain from typing, reading books or MOVING THE MOUSE AROUND.
no clicks (Score:1)
Old news (Score:1)
Google will like this (Score:1)
Only 1000? (Score:1)
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How to get people to click ads (Score:2)
I dont think clicking is the issue. (Score:1)
The ideal long term hand position is thumb-up...think of holding a joystick (does anyone remember those?). The bones doesnt cross, and you use stronger muscles to move
Use a Graphics Tablet (Score:1)
For me what has worked in minimising the symptoms and letting me be productive again was a Tab
Meh. I care not. (Score:2)
Even if I use a trackball, I get the same problem (but in a different area of the wrist).
Either these people are way off the mark, or I am more unique than I'd like to be.
Clicking with the fingers is optional. (Score:1)
I have eliminated the stand-alone mouse.
I can point, click, type, and scroll in any order simultaneously and instantly all from the home row.
I can click and/or scroll with my fingers or use optional foot pedals to click.
My keyboard gives you total and complete contro
Something tells me... (Score:1)
Touchscreen (Score:3, Insightful)
But now it works. Over a decade of PDA touchscreens has funded R&D that can put a precise, stable point just above the fingernail or stylus of any user.
Why do I have to use even a little trackpad in short strokes for indirect control of the cursor, when I could just point directly at that cursor? And why can't I use multiple fingers to describe lines, polygons, movement directions, multiple selections, and everything else I do with real objects on my real desktop?
Trackball (Score:2)
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