my college just upgraded all the computers

[SWScorch]

So my college now has brand new Dell P4 3.0s, 512MB, 80GB, DVD burners, 17" LCD monitors, the works. They're pretty nice and much better than the previous computers, which were 1.4s I think. However, they still use balled mice. With hundreds of grimy college kids using each computer every day, these mice get dirty quick. And it's very aggravating to have to use dirty, skipping mice.

Now today, optical mice are cheap. The optical version of the mice they have is $15. Don't you think it would have made more sense to maybe cut back on another component, say, 60Gigs instead of 80, since students dont even have access to the local disk, and upgrade the mice? It would make for a much more enjoyable and stress-free computing experience. Don't ya think?

 

[Lonyo]

Plug a USB mouse into the front USB port when you use a school machine?
Much easier.

 

[Red Dawn]

What do I think? Hmmm pretty colors

 

[spanky]

that would make sense, but it's likely that 80gb might have been the smallest capacity hd was offering. however, it is sorta dumb that in buying (or leasing) such a large amount of computers, the university was unable to broker a deal for some optical mice.

 

[ribbon13]

*note to self: Colleges in NY have fvcked up priorities*

 

[elmer92413]

I didn't now that Dell still sent out the balled mice...
I thought there were going all optical...

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
Plug a USB mouse into the front USB port when you use a school machine?
Much easier.

Carry a mouse with you at all times?

 

[SWScorch]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
Plug a USB mouse into the front USB port when you use a school machine?
Much easier.

Sure, but I just think that it's a bit silly to use obsolete technology for one of the most important aspects of using a computer. Input and output are what matter for most people. You can have a kickass computer, but if you're using a 14" monitor at 640x480 @ 60Hz, it's gonna suck Using a crappy mouse is annoying and is not conducive to happy computing One would think they would go for optical mice as it would be better and cheaper in the long run (dont have to clean them, people wont steal the mouse balls as they are wnt to do, etc)

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: SWScorch

Originally posted by: Lonyo
Plug a USB mouse into the front USB port when you use a school machine?
Much easier.

Sure, but I just think that it's a bit silly to use obsolete technology for one of the most important aspects of using a computer. Input and output are what matter for most people. You can have a kickass computer, but if you're using a 14" monitor at 640x480 @ 60Hz, it's gonna suck Using a crappy mouse is annoying and is not conducive to happy computing One would think they would go for optical mice as it would be better and cheaper in the long run (dont have to clean them, people wont steal the mouse balls as they are wnt to do, etc)

Maybe Dell tossed in the balled mice for free, as opposed to a fee with the opticals. Wit the amount of computers a university needs, tahts a good amount of change. And the only ones who really have to deal with the consequences are the students and you usually dont use an university computer for THAT long.

 

[spanky]

yes, dell still has balled mice. i set up quite a few in my last days at my last job (which ended a month ago).

 

[cavemanmoron]

Originally posted by: SWScorch
So my college now has brand new Dell P4 3.0s, 512MB, 80GB, DVD burners, 17" LCD monitors, the works. They're pretty nice and much better than the previous computers, which were 1.4s I think. However, they still use balled mice. With hundreds of grimy college kids using each computer every day, these mice get dirty quick. And it's very aggravating to have to use dirty, skipping mice.

Now today, optical mice are cheap. The optical version of the mice they have is $15. Don't you think it would have made more sense to maybe cut back on another component, say, 60Gigs instead of 80, since students dont even have access to the local disk, and upgrade the mice? It would make for a much more enjoyable and stress-free computing experience. Don't ya think?

agree

 

[Cheesetogo]

Originally posted by: elmer92413
I didn't now that Dell still sent out the balled mice...
I thought there were going all optical...

I don't think they do. Optical is standard on there computers I think.

 

[njmodi]

Originally posted by: Cheesetogo

Originally posted by: elmer92413
I didn't now that Dell still sent out the balled mice...
I thought there were going all optical...

I don't think they do. Optical is standard on there computers I think.

Not true. You can still get ball-mice with some Dell system configurations.

 

[Rock Hydra]

Originally posted by: ribbon13
*note to self: Practically every place in NY have fvcked up priorities*

Fixed.

 

[Mike2002]

At least your school does not superglue the mice so you can't get the balls out. So when the mice get dirty there is nothing you can do to fix them.

 

[clickynext]

I find it strange to use ball mice as well. My school just bought optical mice for two labs at less than $10 each.

 

[CRXican]

I hate ball mice, same thing at my univeristy

Dells with sh1tty ball mice

 

[Baked]

Because ball mouse is still the default mouse that comes w/ Dell systems? At least the one I ordered for work had ball mouse as the default, I chose the optical mouse option.

 

[phisrow]

Schools seem to do wacky things sometimes. Mine has Dual G5 (2GHz) machines with a gig of RAM each set up as public email/light word processing terminals in some of its computer labs. Cute kit; but totally nuts for the job.

 

[toant103]

Originally posted by: Cheesetogo

Originally posted by: elmer92413
I didn't now that Dell still sent out the balled mice...
I thought there were going all optical...

I don't think they do. Optical is standard on there computers I think.

i have the balled mice with my new dimension 8400 64 emt

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: phisrow
Schools seem to do wacky things sometimes. Mine has Dual G5 (2GHz) machines with a gig of RAM each set up as public email/light word processing terminals in some of its computer labs. Cute kit; but totally nuts for the job.

I think this has a lot to do with funding. Governments are pumping huge ammounts into the school systems but much of it is earmarked for technology. The ONLY way they can use it is to buy computers and such.

 

[WannaFly]

For the Dells we order at work (at a university) the optical upgrade is $32, thats why.

edit: probably.

 

[cerebusPu]

someone just forgot to change the option to optical mouse when they placed the order. i did that once.

i hate ball mice..its like 3.5inch floppys....obsolete but still around

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: Mike2002
At least your school does not superglue the mice so you can't get the balls out. So when the mice get dirty there is nothing you can do to fix them.

QFT :| :| :|

and what kind of inconsiderate immature bastards steal the balls anyway?

 

[dakata24]

the optiplex gx280's my department purchased alittle while back came standard with ball mice.