The discussion list (wish I could find that
again) [Note: apparently not at Applelinks] sounded like the
introductions to an AA meeting. Mac user after Mac user,
almost in shame, admitting that they too liked the hockey
puck.
Why is it better?
It's wider. Remember those commercials? Wider is better.
This results in a more relaxed grip for those of us who
actually have large hands.
The "roll" is smoother and lighter. After using the
hockey puck, those old ADB mice feel downright clunky, like
going from the last of the ADB mice back to the old Mac plus
mouse.
It's shorter. This allows for a fuller range of motion
when held "properly".
The only real disadvantage of the original hockey puck
was that it was easy for that smooth, round mouse to get
turned a little in your hand. All of a sudden the pointer
isn't going the direction it was supposed to go. That's why,
I'm guessing, the second generation came with that curved
depression at the from of the mouse. At least for me, this
is no longer a problem (the fingertips of my index and
middle fingers go nicely at each end of the depression).
The consensus of the discussion group was that people who
don't like the hockey puck don't know how to hold a mouse :
) . If you "palm" the mouse, that is rest the heel of your
palm on the back of the mouse, you'll hate the hockey puck
because it's not made to be held that way. If you have
always held and manipulated a mouse with your fingertips,
the hockey puck is a vast improvement, because only then do
the advantages I listed above come into play.
When I'm "mousing around" I can place the heel of my hand
on the mousepad, and with the mouse on my fingertips, move
the pointer around the full area of the screen without
lifting my hand (the "fuller range of motion" above). I
can't do that with any other mouse.
Maybe the hockey puck mouse isn't just a useless asthetic
change. Maybe Jobs is a finger-tip mouser instead of a
"palmer".
So look around. See if you can find someone who likes the
new mouse and look at how they are holding it. Are they
using their fingertips?
How about you? Do you "palm" the old ADB style mice? Are
you trying to do the same with the hockey puck? If so, are
you willing to try to "Mouse Different"? Go ahead, you might
like it.