Mousepads: Do you really need one?

[Soul Reputation]

I met someone who said that they never use a mousepad with their Logitech MX 600 Cordless Laser mouse.

Wow, is that possible?

He said that he has a desk that he keeps clean and polished - slick as an ice rink, and so, I guess, that's how he gets by without using a mouse?

Hey I've always used a mouse, ALWAYS. Is it really possible to forego the use of a mouse? I have to wonder if it would cause the mouse to wear out sooner or cause any other problem.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: Soul Reputation
I met someone who said that they never use a mousepad with their Logitech MX 600 Cordless Laser mouse.

Wow, is that possible?

He said that he has a desk that he keeps clean and polished - slick as an ice rink, and so, I guess, that's how he gets by without using a mousepad?

Hey I've always used a mousepad, ALWAYS. Is it really possible to forego the use of a mousepad? I have to wonder if it would cause the mouse to wear out sooner or cause any other problem.

When I switched to optical mice, I stopped caring about mousepads. And especially with Laser mice, you really don't need to worry about.

Mousepads came about because the balls in older mice would have trouble tracking across the varied desk surfaces that people had. So, you take a piece of foam, cover it in fabric, and now you have a uniform surface.

As far as the mice wearing out faster... I have never had a mouse wear out on me. Straight up break? Sure. Wear out? No.

 

[ch33zw1z]

I use a piece of paper, or a manila folder..Both are cheap and easy to dispose of (in the fireplace) when worn out

 

[Intexity]

I have a Logitech MX518 been using for over year now without a mouse pad with no complaints. My desk is a constant mess and spill zone (pretty much everything you can think of) but my mouse still goes strong.

 

[VeryCharBroiled]

typically optical mice dont care about the surface theyre on, especially laser mice. my MS laser 7000 could care less. Ive used it on carpet (not so accurate though), wood floors, books, my pants leg (again not so acurrate heh) almost anything thats flat. highly mirrored surfaces may pose a problem though but Ive never run into that.

for gaming I like no pad because you dont run the risk of running off the pad during a firefight

 

[ther00kie16]

Been using a MS optical for years. It jumped sometimes on a crappy desk with paper surface. Also, the surface eventually wore after a year due to my sweat so the surface looked even crappier. Mousepad fixed all that. I had a really good wood desk for awhile and there was no problem using the mouse without a mousepad.
For metal/glass desk surfaces, there's even less need for a mousepad nowadays.

 

[netmontr]

Originally posted by: TheStuWhen I switched to optical mice, I stopped caring about mousepads. And especially with Laser mice, you really don't need to worry about.

...

As far as the mice wearing out faster... I have never had a mouse wear out on me. Straight up break? Sure. Wear out? No.

Do you think that it broke because of something completely irrelevant to the surface? (Just checking, since I've never owned an optical mouse yet, but thinking of it.)

 

[Elias824]

ive got a kind of hard plastic textured on I like, it adds a little more control for gaming and such. Sure I can go without but the mouse tends to get dirty alot faster, and it sometimes isnt as smooth.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: netmontr

Originally posted by: TheStuWhen I switched to optical mice, I stopped caring about mousepads. And especially with Laser mice, you really don't need to worry about.

...

As far as the mice wearing out faster... I have never had a mouse wear out on me. Straight up break? Sure. Wear out? No.

Do you think that it broke because of something completely irrelevant to the surface? (Just checking, since I've never owned an optical mouse yet, but thinking of it.)

I know that it broke because of something irrelevant to the surface.

I smashed into the desk in a fit of rage. Counterstrike... LAN... lag... not a good combination, that's why I stopped playing those sorts of games.

 

[Intexity]

oh man my saitek two has taken some major hits (the last time my hand hurt for three days) being drunk and playing games. stranglehold has been the main offender. the control reaction is similar to what i was seeing with gears of war (press the space bar and not getting the action you were wanting then getting my ass handed to me) cracked a few buttons and now the space bar tends to stick from time to time but the LEDs all work still and none of the other buttons are broken.

 

[Denithor]

Originally posted by: TheStu
Mousepads came about because the balls in older mice would have trouble tracking across the varied desk surfaces that people had. So, you take a piece of foam, cover it in fabric, and now you have a uniform surface.

As far as the mice wearing out faster... I have never had a mouse wear out on me. Straight up break? Sure. Wear out? No.

:laugh:

Yeah, old mice just can't control their balls well, can they?

:beer:

 

[Laputa]

Depending on the surface that the optical mouse is on. I have use optical mouse on some fine glass table in the lab and it didn't work as well; adding a notepad or a piece of paper was the fix. Also used optical mouse on various surfaces and all seems to work fine with MS or Logitech. Best thing ever happened was that one time the mouse got dropped it is dead. It turneds out that the battery just happened to die when it got dropped. Changed the battery and the mouse is back in action.

 

[alevasseur14]

I know I don't NEED a mousepad for my laser mouse but I think I'd wear a big circle in the surface of my wooden desk if I didn't use one. So yeah, that's why I still use one.

 

[corkyg]

Just finished a long trip to South Africa via Germany. Used my optical laser (VX Nano) in many places - no pad ever. As long as the surface is smooth and not too reflective (i.e., glass or mirror) it works fine. When in doubt, a piece of paper suffices.

 

[Kirby64]

I have my Logitech G9 (laser) on a glass mousepad. As much as I really don't NEED a mousepad, I really enjoy the smooth surface of a piece of glass.

 

[Ksyder]

On some surfaces an optical mouse just won't work such as glass I believe. I don't believe mouse pads are at all necessary with optical mice unless you prefer them. They certainly help because mice sometimes feel weird sliding across the surface of a desk.

As an aside, as a testament to the durability of mice, we have a pc in the living room with the keyboard and mouse on the floor with the monitor sitting on a milk crate (yea real classy I know) and it is right in the path to walk to the upstairs. Every day someone steps on the mouse with their shoes on and you hear a crunch of the mouse under foot. It has probably been stepped on a hundred times and still works fine (Microsoft optical mouse) Its especially funny when one of our friends steps on it and thinks he or she just destroyed our mouse but the thing always survives.

 

[earthman]

Haven't used a mousepad since forever.

 

[Soul Reputation]

Update:

It's now been close to 90 days living without a mousepad for the first time ever in my life.

The experiment is over.

Ranking the level of satisfaction I derive from not having a mousepad - on a scale of 1 to 10 - is an easy 11.

I have a wireless keyboard and mouse. My table is devoid of ancillary junk items, items like paper or whatever else you could imagine. All I have on my table are 5 essential items:

1) keyboard

2) mouse

3) router

4) modem

5) speakers

There are zero restrictions or encumberments when manipulating my mouse sans mousepad. There is zero friction, no reluctance or hesitation during the manipulation process. The manueverability factor is very user friendly.

In retrospect, having a mousepad on my tabletop - the look of said mousepad on my tabletop - was like having a bedspread with Bugs Bunny and Woody the Woodpecker portrayed on it. It's not that bad. But something like that is geared more for children. For an adult, I now deem the mousepad a tad dorky, borderline tacky. My computer table, minus mousepad, now looks cleaner, sleeker, more streamlined like a jet airplane.

Not having a mousepad gives me more freedom.

I no longer have to waste time going to the store to buy a new one every 6-8 months. Nor do I have to waste time ordering one online. Freedom is my religion. I like not wasting time. I like having more time to practice my religion the way I want to practice freedom as opposed to having it dictated to me by circumstance. I once met a hot woman while shopping for a mousepad. There are many other ways for a man to meet a woman. Such is the glory that freedom brings to man.

I'll never go back to using a mousepad. To do so would be ridiculous. Life is too short to spend time in a state of ridicule. To do so would be a sin against my religion.