Forward and backward buttons can actually be extremely handy, when not used for that purpose. If you map them to something else (say... modifier keys), you can

Forward and backward buttons can actually be extremely handy, when not used for that purpose. If you map them to something else (say... modifier keys), you can do all sorts of useful things. Like hold down one of the buttons and click on files to select more than one. Or activate Spaces if you click the middle button, but activate Expose if you click the middle button while holding the back button down. If back/forward buttons had to stay back/forward buttons I'd agree that they are pointless. They don't though; they can be super useful.