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Apple branded mice have had right click functionality since 2005 [1]. However, only a minority of OS X users uses a mouse, and an even smaller group uses contex

Apple branded mice have had right click functionality since 2005 [1]. However, only a minority of OS X users uses a mouse, and an even smaller group uses contextual menus on a regular basis. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Mighty_Mouse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Mighty_Mouse

oneeyedpigeon 13y ago
Do you have any evidence for those assertions?
- Samuel_Michon 13y ago
  Sure: over 70% of Macs sold are notebooks. The only Macs that come with Apple branded mice are the iMac and Mac Pro. http://venturebeat.com/2009/01/26/notebooks-now-make-up-over-70-percent-of-mac-sales/ http://venturebeat.com/2009/01/26/notebooks-now-make-up-over...
  - oneeyedpigeon 13y ago
    Colour me surprised. Of course, some of those notebook owners will also use a mouse. And I'm speaking as a Mac Mini user with an Apple branded mouse, but I guess your original point probably stands. I wish I didn't have such a reliance on the mouse, but since transitioning from PC to Mac, one of the few persistent problems has been keyboard shortcut support. I can't tell if I've failed to learn sufficiently, or if it's just lacking, but certain applications - e.g. Finder - just seem to be impossible to navigate without a pointing device.
    - kaolinite 13y ago
      Arrow-keys to move around, cmd+o to open and cmd+shift+g to go to a specific directory - what else do you need?
      - oneeyedpigeon 13y ago
        I always suffer problems when trying to move from the left-hand pane (e.g. where drives, bookmarked locations are) to the main pane.
        Samuel_Michon 13y ago
        Most items on the Finder Sidebar have their own keyboard shortcuts and are available from the Go menu. Here’s an overview: http://imgur.com/Ho0lfrt http://imgur.com/Ho0lfrt Here are some other solutions: http://superuser.com/questions/90378/ http://superuser.com/questions/90378/
      - tehwalrus 13y ago
        cmd+up takes you to the parent directory. (my most-used finder shortcut.)
    - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
      > certain applications - e.g. Finder - just seem to be impossible to navigate without a pointing device. Here you go: http://i.imgur.com/uYDokqn.png http://i.imgur.com/uYDokqn.png
    - tehwalrus 13y ago
      Have you installed Alfred[1]? (or Quicksilver[2]). I find I use these (Alfred now, formerly Quicksilver) to open the right finder window first time, eliminating the need for most uses of the controls on the windows. (also, once you install one of these you'll never need to open the /Applications directory again.) [1] http://www.alfredapp.com/ http://www.alfredapp.com/ [2] http://www.blacktree.com/ http://www.blacktree.com/
  - prof_hobart 13y ago
    Just because a computer doesn't come with a mouse, that doesn't mean that the user isn't using a mouse. I've got a MacBook Pro and alternate between wireless Logitech mouse and touchpad depending on what I'm up to. I'm not saying that everyone does the same, but if you want to prove your assertion that most Mac users don't use mice, you'll need something more compelling than the fact that they don't ship with one.
    - deleted 13y ago
      [deleted]
    - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
      Last year, Tim Cook said that 75% of all Macs sold are notebooks[1]. Not all Mac desktops come with a mouse. Of course, people can buy a mouse, be it for their desktop or notebook. Or they can buy a tablet, trackball or external trackpad. For mouse use on the Mac to be the most used input method, over one third of Mac notebook users would have to permanently use a mouse instead of the built-in trackpad. You can go to any Starbucks, airport, or school to see that that is not the case. [1] http://www.macworld.com/article/1167850/apple_revenue_profits_up_in_ipad_driven_quarter.html http://www.macworld.com/article/1167850/apple_revenue_profit...
      - oneeyedpigeon 13y ago
        Of course, sold != in use. Another assertion, but in my experience, desktops have a much longer lifetime than laptops. I think 'most used' is a bit of a diversion, since that's almost certainly the keyboard.
      - glomph 13y ago
        Nice sampling method!
        Samuel_Michon 13y ago
        Do you have a better idea where to find a lot of Mac notebooks in one place? (Besides in Apple Stores, that is.)
  - Kiro 13y ago
    Almost everyone I know who are using Macbooks are also using Magic Mice (me and everyone at my job included).
  - j03w 13y ago
    What about the prove for usage of contextual menu? I'm pretty sure people use it quite regularly especially when they are browsing the web, editing text in word processor, post processing images with Photoshop or editing video in Final Cut Pro. I for one, use it everyday to open links in a new tab. Cmd+click doesn't work on every website you know.
    - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
      Most Mac users don’t use Photoshop or Final Cut Pro. Most Mac users are not power users. Many don’t know about browser tabs, let alone how to open new ones with keyboard shortcuts or contextual menus. Savvy users use keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste text in a word processor, not so savvy users go to the Edit menu for every action. (I have no proof for any of this. I have watched all kinds of people use computers for 25 years, in all kinds of settings.)
    - arnarbi 13y ago
      This is entirely my own empirical evidence (I worked tech support in a design house), but mac users seem to use keyboard shortcuts more than contextual menus. E.g. opening links in a new tab is command+click or alt+click, depending on the browser. I've worked a lot with FCP (and other editing suites) and PS, and everyone I see, especially pros, seems to make heavy use of keyboard shortcuts and modifiers, rather than fishing around in menus.
  - j03w 13y ago
    What about the prove for usage of contextual menu? I'm pretty sure people use it quite regularly especially when they are browsing the web, editing text in word processor, post processing images with Photoshop or editing video in Final Cut Pro. I for one, use it everyday to open links in a new tab. Cmd+click doesn't work on every website you know.
  - j03w 13y ago
    What about the prove for usage of contextual menu? I'm pretty sure people use it quite regularly especially when they are browsing the web, editing text in word processor, post processing images with Photoshop or editing video in Final Cut Pro. I for one, use it everyday to open links in a new tab. Cmd+click doesn't work on every website you know.
  - j03w 13y ago
    What about the prove for usage of contextual menu? I'm pretty sure people use it quite regularly especially when they are browsing the web, editing text in word processor, post processing images with Photoshop or editing video in Final Cut Pro. I for one, use it everyday to open links in a new tab. Cmd+click doesn't work on every website you know.
calinet6 13y ago
The two button ability is nice, and convenient at times. Everyone is missing the point, though. Having 1-button as the default (as it is in OSX) forces developers to make better UI decisions. Plain and simple. When you can hide the complicated stuff in complex right-click actions and middle-click sub-actions and various other hidden UIs, people tend to do it, because it's easy and doesn't require too much thought. When you have to assume that the user has only the "Point" and "Click" actions, and not an ever-deepening rabbit hole of right-click, middle-click, side-click, etc. etc. then you have to think a little harder about how you design your interface. You might add things as top-level buttons, or make a more useful interface on the primary click. You might say this leads to too much variation in the UI space, since there isn't a standard way to deal with operational complexity, but I highly disagree. It leads to UIs which are better thought out, where more of the action has to be exposed and discoverable rather than hidden. It forces developers to make some difficult decisions about the complexity itself, too, which generally leads to simpler if not just better-realized apps. Even just the fact that you have to think a little harder about your UI is enough; a second-order effect that is clearly visible in the end result and the reputation of OSX and its apps. All of this because Steve Jobs didn't let them tack on the extra buttons. Because he kept the primary interface simple. Because he knew it wasn't just about clicking, but about the whole ecosystem of software for which the mouse API was core. It was not just a mouse, but a genesis of software UI decisions. Think like that, and you start to understand the single button and why it's actually important. Then you still go into settings and enable right-click... because if you're reading this, you are not like the majority of users (I mean, seriously, that's day one of HCI 101).
- judk 13y ago
  Not all programs are designed to be used my grandmas or chimpanzees. By this logic, why don't we all use one-button keyboards?
  - wonderzombie 13y ago
    Because it's all about trade-offs, and a one-button keyboard is a ridiculous trade-off.
  - 13y ago

oneeyedpigeon 13y ago

Do you have any evidence for those assertions?

Samuel_Michon 13y ago
Sure: over 70% of Macs sold are notebooks. The only Macs that come with Apple branded mice are the iMac and Mac Pro. http://venturebeat.com/2009/01/26/notebooks-now-make-up-over-70-percent-of-mac-sales/ http://venturebeat.com/2009/01/26/notebooks-now-make-up-over...
- oneeyedpigeon 13y ago
  Colour me surprised. Of course, some of those notebook owners will also use a mouse. And I'm speaking as a Mac Mini user with an Apple branded mouse, but I guess your original point probably stands. I wish I didn't have such a reliance on the mouse, but since transitioning from PC to Mac, one of the few persistent problems has been keyboard shortcut support. I can't tell if I've failed to learn sufficiently, or if it's just lacking, but certain applications - e.g. Finder - just seem to be impossible to navigate without a pointing device.
  - kaolinite 13y ago
    Arrow-keys to move around, cmd+o to open and cmd+shift+g to go to a specific directory - what else do you need?
    - oneeyedpigeon 13y ago
      I always suffer problems when trying to move from the left-hand pane (e.g. where drives, bookmarked locations are) to the main pane.
      - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
        Most items on the Finder Sidebar have their own keyboard shortcuts and are available from the Go menu. Here’s an overview: http://imgur.com/Ho0lfrt http://imgur.com/Ho0lfrt Here are some other solutions: http://superuser.com/questions/90378/ http://superuser.com/questions/90378/
    - tehwalrus 13y ago
      cmd+up takes you to the parent directory. (my most-used finder shortcut.)
  - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
    > certain applications - e.g. Finder - just seem to be impossible to navigate without a pointing device. Here you go: http://i.imgur.com/uYDokqn.png http://i.imgur.com/uYDokqn.png
  - tehwalrus 13y ago
    Have you installed Alfred[1]? (or Quicksilver[2]). I find I use these (Alfred now, formerly Quicksilver) to open the right finder window first time, eliminating the need for most uses of the controls on the windows. (also, once you install one of these you'll never need to open the /Applications directory again.) [1] http://www.alfredapp.com/ http://www.alfredapp.com/ [2] http://www.blacktree.com/ http://www.blacktree.com/
- prof_hobart 13y ago
  Just because a computer doesn't come with a mouse, that doesn't mean that the user isn't using a mouse. I've got a MacBook Pro and alternate between wireless Logitech mouse and touchpad depending on what I'm up to. I'm not saying that everyone does the same, but if you want to prove your assertion that most Mac users don't use mice, you'll need something more compelling than the fact that they don't ship with one.
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
  - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
    Last year, Tim Cook said that 75% of all Macs sold are notebooks[1]. Not all Mac desktops come with a mouse. Of course, people can buy a mouse, be it for their desktop or notebook. Or they can buy a tablet, trackball or external trackpad. For mouse use on the Mac to be the most used input method, over one third of Mac notebook users would have to permanently use a mouse instead of the built-in trackpad. You can go to any Starbucks, airport, or school to see that that is not the case. [1] http://www.macworld.com/article/1167850/apple_revenue_profits_up_in_ipad_driven_quarter.html http://www.macworld.com/article/1167850/apple_revenue_profit...
    - oneeyedpigeon 13y ago
      Of course, sold != in use. Another assertion, but in my experience, desktops have a much longer lifetime than laptops. I think 'most used' is a bit of a diversion, since that's almost certainly the keyboard.
    - glomph 13y ago
      Nice sampling method!
      - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
        Do you have a better idea where to find a lot of Mac notebooks in one place? (Besides in Apple Stores, that is.)
- Kiro 13y ago
  Almost everyone I know who are using Macbooks are also using Magic Mice (me and everyone at my job included).
- j03w 13y ago
  What about the prove for usage of contextual menu? I'm pretty sure people use it quite regularly especially when they are browsing the web, editing text in word processor, post processing images with Photoshop or editing video in Final Cut Pro. I for one, use it everyday to open links in a new tab. Cmd+click doesn't work on every website you know.
  - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
    Most Mac users don’t use Photoshop or Final Cut Pro. Most Mac users are not power users. Many don’t know about browser tabs, let alone how to open new ones with keyboard shortcuts or contextual menus. Savvy users use keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste text in a word processor, not so savvy users go to the Edit menu for every action. (I have no proof for any of this. I have watched all kinds of people use computers for 25 years, in all kinds of settings.)
  - arnarbi 13y ago
    This is entirely my own empirical evidence (I worked tech support in a design house), but mac users seem to use keyboard shortcuts more than contextual menus. E.g. opening links in a new tab is command+click or alt+click, depending on the browser. I've worked a lot with FCP (and other editing suites) and PS, and everyone I see, especially pros, seems to make heavy use of keyboard shortcuts and modifiers, rather than fishing around in menus.
- j03w 13y ago
  What about the prove for usage of contextual menu? I'm pretty sure people use it quite regularly especially when they are browsing the web, editing text in word processor, post processing images with Photoshop or editing video in Final Cut Pro. I for one, use it everyday to open links in a new tab. Cmd+click doesn't work on every website you know.
- j03w 13y ago
  What about the prove for usage of contextual menu? I'm pretty sure people use it quite regularly especially when they are browsing the web, editing text in word processor, post processing images with Photoshop or editing video in Final Cut Pro. I for one, use it everyday to open links in a new tab. Cmd+click doesn't work on every website you know.
- j03w 13y ago
  What about the prove for usage of contextual menu? I'm pretty sure people use it quite regularly especially when they are browsing the web, editing text in word processor, post processing images with Photoshop or editing video in Final Cut Pro. I for one, use it everyday to open links in a new tab. Cmd+click doesn't work on every website you know.

calinet6 13y ago

The two button ability is nice, and convenient at times. Everyone is missing the point, though. Having 1-button as the default (as it is in OSX) forces developers to make better UI decisions. Plain and simple. When you can hide the complicated stuff in complex right-click actions and middle-click sub-actions and various other hidden UIs, people tend to do it, because it's easy and doesn't require too much thought. When you have to assume that the user has only the "Point" and "Click" actions, and not an ever-deepening rabbit hole of right-click, middle-click, side-click, etc. etc. then you have to think a little harder about how you design your interface. You might add things as top-level buttons, or make a more useful interface on the primary click. You might say this leads to too much variation in the UI space, since there isn't a standard way to deal with operational complexity, but I highly disagree. It leads to UIs which are better thought out, where more of the action has to be exposed and discoverable rather than hidden. It forces developers to make some difficult decisions about the complexity itself, too, which generally leads to simpler if not just better-realized apps. Even just the fact that you have to think a little harder about your UI is enough; a second-order effect that is clearly visible in the end result and the reputation of OSX and its apps. All of this because Steve Jobs didn't let them tack on the extra buttons. Because he kept the primary interface simple. Because he knew it wasn't just about clicking, but about the whole ecosystem of software for which the mouse API was core. It was not just a mouse, but a genesis of software UI decisions. Think like that, and you start to understand the single button and why it's actually important. Then you still go into settings and enable right-click... because if you're reading this, you are not like the majority of users (I mean, seriously, that's day one of HCI 101).

judk 13y ago
Not all programs are designed to be used my grandmas or chimpanzees. By this logic, why don't we all use one-button keyboards?
- wonderzombie 13y ago
  Because it's all about trade-offs, and a one-button keyboard is a ridiculous trade-off.
- 13y ago