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Can Your Mouse Last 18 Years? A Mac User gets her money's worth

marialanger.com — “I was working on invoices on my Mac, ” she told me. “And my mouse just died.” Jo’s Mac is a Mac IIci. We’re talking a circa 1989 computer; We discussed the mouse’s problem. It was the clicker. It wasn’t clicking anymore. Not bad when you consider that she’s been clicking with it for 18 years. I think she got her money’s worth.

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  • baltwade, on 10/10/2007, -29/+147So, what's the big deal. My Atari 2600 and Commodore 64 still work great and are easily over 20 years old.
    • Indarios, on 10/10/2007, -18/+90But do you use It every day like she does?
    • zongamin, on 10/10/2007, -2/+35Because you don't use either of them regularly.
    • TechCF, on 10/10/2007, -1/+11Why isn't he using them everyday? Many of people use them to code demos and write music and that takes up some hours everyday + travel wear and tear to demoparties. My C64 got a brand new mouse the other day :)
      • spyrochaete, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Dugg for the oldskool references!
        **CRACKED BY TechCF**
        (insert SID chippytune here)
    • shitdrummer, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9Yeah, but how many controllers have you gone through? Surely every Commodore 64 owner had a copy of Summer Games, which cost me a bundle in replacement controllers with the whole running thing.

      My Dad thought disks were a fad, so I was lucky enough to have it on tape. Yes, cassette tape. Oh joy was the day when I realised that I could copy games using a double cassette deck. Although "fast forward to counter xxx on the tape" still really pissed me off. :)

      *****.
    • pr5owner, on 10/10/2007, -10/+1whats the big deal? its an apple product so blindy follow the sheep and bow your head to the Apple monopoly
  • Tamriel, on 10/10/2007, -5/+86Can your mouse last 18 years? Only if you never play RTS games, CounterStrike, Diablo, etc.

    I remember this one time I was playing Diablo II and in a total clicking frenzy. All of a sudden, I clicked the mouse and the button never popped back up. It felt weird. I quit abusing my mice after that, mostly because decent mice aren't dirt cheap.
    • Pepper, on 10/10/2007, -10/+42Good luck getting those games to run on her Mac ;P
      • geniusj, on 10/10/2007, -1/+24"her Mac" not "a Mac" . . Sounded like she was using a IIsi
    • zongamin, on 10/10/2007, -5/+6Maybe you should go outside now and again.
    • rmeddy, on 10/10/2007, -2/+4Yeah Diablo 2 killed one my mice.
    • Figs, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5Considering I have yet to get a _computer_ to last 5 years... no.
      • ihate2regist, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1my computers last me 5 years, my keyboard is from 1986 still using my logitech mouseman dual optical from 5 years ago

        IBM MODEL M FTW
    • incubusnb, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3I have a Logitech Trackman Marble wheel thats going on 10 years strong, it chugs along happily, I play a lot of games both online and off, including Wow and Civ4, on top of that I'm a programmer and use the same computer for a lot of my work. since they don't make my mouse anymore, if I have it my way with a little constant maintainance, I want this mouse to last the rest of my life
  • kenvsryu, on 10/10/2007, -12/+182It's only one button - not much can go wrong.
    • redrabbit, on 10/10/2007, -13/+24That doesn't make sense. All you're saying is she clicks that certain button twice as much as she normally would with a two-button mouse. So really...you just hurt your argument.
      • LiquidLeopard, on 10/10/2007, -2/+3clever
      • EpicCrusadr, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10I don't know about you, but I definitely left click way more often than I right click. Over the course of 18 years, I estimate that the clicks of a 1 button mouse can't be more than 15 or 20% more than the left click of a 2 button mouse. Double clicks add up!
      • bIuebonics, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2and, you assume that each mouse button only has a limited number of clicks? since this obviously isn't the case, with two mouse buttons you have twice as much chance for a button to fail. since for a two buttoned mouse to be properly functioning it requires both buttons to work, you have a less likely chance that your mouse will become dysfunctional with only one button. so really... it's only one button - not much can go wrong.
    • chaparyan, on 10/10/2007, -1/+16touche
    • Cerium, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4I interpreted it as there is only one button, why not fix it. Electronics from that age were all very high quality and possible to repair. The whole idea of gluing shut small components didn't really exist.

      So open the mouse up and put a new click switch in it. Problem solved.
    • Yuo122986, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1and when it broke if she had called apple, they'd a sent her a paper clip to fix it :)
  • sharigan, on 10/10/2007, -12/+6Wow, Is that pictured mice powered by USB?
  • Dysarthria, on 10/10/2007, -6/+62Heck, my 1984-vintage Apple IIe still works. Should I call the press?
    • zongamin, on 10/10/2007, -1/+19The point is this was being used regularly.
      • bIuebonics, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1and? i've used my mice all the time and i've never had one go out on me. if i didn't need to get an optical for online gameplay, then i'd still be using my mouse from years ago...
    • jerwood, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6Do you run your home business on it?
    • Rileyper, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1My apple II3 works also and i use it on a daily basis, i mostly use it for inventory records
    • pr0t0, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1My 21" Apple Cinema Display just died two days ago after eight years, 9+ hours a day, 5 days a week. The color looked as good as the day I bought it. I felt that was pretty good run for that much use. No?
  • chubbybubba, on 10/10/2007, -18/+9whoop de effen dooo !
  • omarciddo, on 10/10/2007, -11/+89Wow. Not to be cynical, but that's the first good thing I've heard about an Apple mouse.
    • demonotaku, on 10/10/2007, -3/+25I would have to agree. In my opinion, their mighty mouse kinds blows.
      • Powerdrift, on 10/10/2007, -0/+12It really is a great idea. It just... doesn't work.
      • kraniac, on 10/10/2007, -2/+12The concept is awesome but the ergonomics are terrible compared to Logitech's mice.
        • xxbrighteyed, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4No it's not that good of an idea, it's them not wanting to conceed there is a superior design to theirs out there
        • cawpin, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Yes, it is them not wanting to concede, but I've been using one for 6 months with Windows, Linux and OS X and it works just fine.
    • JonLatane, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7I'm afraid I have to disagree. I've used the BT Mighty Mouse for months now and it's extremely comfortable, scrolling works great, I've never had a problem with right-clicking. I know I've heard people complain about it (especially the right-click) but it has never been an issue at any time for me. And not having to worry about some USB plug is a huge plus.
      • sp1keNARF, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1i have a BT mighty mouse as well. not having to worry about a plug or dongle is great, the scrolling ball is great, but the ergonomics, the right click, and the squeeze click suck ass. oh well, looks cool.
      • bIuebonics, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1"And not having to worry about some USB plug is a huge plus." ... you worry about USB plugs? how old are you exactly? o_O
  • JenadaeXX, on 10/10/2007, -20/+6Blah blah blah, insert random apple fan boyism here....
  • Auto, on 10/10/2007, -8/+71She doesn't usually hug people. What a cold bitch.
  • BlackCow, on 10/10/2007, -17/+10So, why is this on the front page?
    • HigherLogic, on 10/10/2007, -6/+17Because "Mac" is in the title.
    • MacParrot, on 10/10/2007, -5/+5Because enough people dugg it to make the front page. In the meantime, you and everyone else that can't figure out how stories that don't interest them make the front page have to be told again and again how digg works. And yet you expose yourself to abuse everytime you make a comment like that. Amazing
      • BlackCow, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2This is actually the first time I made that comment because I honestly think this is totally stupid. But I'm sure you dugg it Mr. "MacParrot".
        • spyrochaete, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2I hate stupid Mac fanboy articles but I like this story. Who'd have thought that of all things a computer part would last 18 years? What product lasts 18 years these days?
        • MacParrot, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Actually I agree with you. I have no idea why enough people thought this was cool enough to digg. As far as if I thought it was good enough to digg, well there's an easy non-snarky way to find out.

          Macs and some other PCs of similar high quality last a long time. Not really a surprise. My brother has an old LC II that he keeps around for some System 7 era games that he enjoys. Since there are more modern equivelents to the same thing I'm not sure why he bothers but hey, it's his life.
  • Rooster99, on 10/10/2007, -4/+8Lets see how long the mouse of your average FPS gamer lasts! A few years ago I was replacing them every 2-3 years, which for the amount of abuse they endured was still pretty good.
    • RetroEvolute, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6That would mean that you'd have replaced it once...

      Few (3) years ago, Replaced every 2-3 years.
    • Misos, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Few can be as many as five or six. He could've replaced it three times.
    • Buelldozer, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1When I was doing FPS with a clan a I was replacing one about every 6-8 months. I just flat wore them out!
    • AdamFromMyspace, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Yeah when I was doing Q3 competitively I went through a couple. My Intellimouse Explorer 3.0a has been going strong for like three years now, though. They haven't made it for a while so I hope this lasts me.. forever. The paint's worn off on the primary fire button and the thumb side, but it still clicks and tracks beautifully.
    • bIuebonics, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1i have a piece of ***** dell optical that hasn't quit on me yet and i'm a heavy cs:s player. of course, i tend to slam my keyboard more than my mouse when i blatantly should have had that head shot...
  • Hale, on 10/10/2007, -4/+10118 years without a right-click?
    • krnldmp, on 10/10/2007, -9/+0Probably a few. just not the 895,672 cycles it took for the left-click microswitch to fail.
      • belegdae, on 10/10/2007, -3/+1oh dear..... you're definately not a mac fanboy.... fyi, macs only got right mouse buttons about 3 years ago.... when the G5 came out if i'm not mistaken.
        • MacParrot, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1While Apple did not include a mouse with right-click until the so-called "Mighty Mouse (ugh)" was released, they have supported right-clicking in the OS since well before the release of OS X.
  • jprez, on 10/10/2007, -10/+1Dugg of the fast that i was 4 when she started clicking...
    • nene7070, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1i had to read this 3 times to get it.... the word he/she is looking for is "fact" :D
  • eean, on 10/10/2007, -9/+3My Amiga 500 mouse would still work fine if not for the part that keeps the ball in having gone missing.

    Granted, since about 1995 its only been booted up for the occasional game.
  • purpledrank, on 10/10/2007, -10/+3But there's no right click!!!
    • Audacitor, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6That was suposed to be a selling point.

      Apple designed its computers to be user-friendly. In those days, when personal computing was just getting started, it wasn't the easiest thing in the world to do, was it? But wait, here's a computer that's only got on button on its mouse. Maybe it's easier to do stuff with this one.

      And if you don't think there's enough people to fit this target audience, I would direct you to http://www.rinkworks.com/stupid/
    • Misos, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7I'm pretty sure that the single-button mouse came first, and a two-button mouse was added later for functionality. Apple didn't want to change, so they stuck their fingers in their ears while screaming "LA LA LA LA LA!"

      I like Apple, btw.
  • chris9902, on 10/10/2007, -12/+25Here is the very reason there is a "buried as lame" button.
    • MacParrot, on 10/10/2007, -6/+4and yet you cared enough to comments. Thanks but you fail the obvious game! Here's the home version though....
      • chris9902, on 10/10/2007, -2/+6my comment was how lame it was. So you understand the concept of commenting?
        • MacParrot, on 10/10/2007, -4/+1And my comment was that it is a total waste of time to comment on how lame something is when it's obvious that enough other people (not me though) dugg it enough to get it to the front page. So you understand the concept of commenting on commenting...um...comments?
  • Postawa, on 10/10/2007, -7/+11I bought a 50 dollar Logitech gaming mouse and it broke 2 weeks later. :(
    • tdous, on 10/10/2007, -3/+2We digg you down! And we do it becau.. oh... why?
    • KuDoZ, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0My G7 erratically jumps all over the desktop like it's on crack or something. Stupid wireless problems. :(
  • ImYourRealDad, on 10/10/2007, -3/+1918 years? She obviously never browsed Digg.
  • OrangeTide, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1I replaced the buttons in my broken cheapo mouse with microswitches and it will probably last for years. plus it makes a cool clicky sound.
  • elvisshock, on 10/10/2007, -9/+4buried as lame, thank you.
  • mista, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8Old Apple hardware used to be great. I still love my IIvi and I still use it from time to time, mostly for kicks or the nice IRC client. Everything runs just as well as when I bought it, never had any hardware failures.

    Still, this was old Apple, when they cared more about making good computers than fancy marketing. I miss Apple.
  • Syntaxis, on 10/10/2007, -16/+9What the ***** is going on with these supposed pro-Mac posts lately?

    "My Mac lasts 6 years" - my 386 lasted 12 years before I sold it, it probably still works.
    "My Mac's mouse lasts 18 years" - what the hell is special about THAT?
    "Children can use a Mac" - my 6 year old nephew can use every Windows, Ubuntu and even DOS: BIG DEAL!

    Damn you Mac people look more and more retarded every time you post on Digg.

    Digg me down, fanboi.
    • koreth, on 10/10/2007, -4/+5Wow, you PC users are so *angry*.
      • pnyphnz, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1So is Syntaxis the only PC user you've ever met, or do all the PC users you meet act like this?
        • MacParrot, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Just the ones that comment in Apple posts on digg. They seem to have an excess of "I don't use x-brand of tech, so therefore it must suck!" They're like little meercats. They spend a lot of time underground, they fear social interaction except for others of their own genre, and only come to the surface long enough to forage for food.
        • Syntaxis, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Hey I used Macs (the ugly gray ones with 1 button mouses) at highschool, iMacs when in university and a Mini currently at work for testing stuff. I have had 2 iPods in my life and I'm a happy iTunes user.

          I like Mac. But I don't LOVE it because a mouse lasts "long".
          • MacParrot, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Sorry about that. Sometimes I just get tired of typical "Mac sucks because I don't use it" and have a tendency to fly off the handle. Just as I'm sure many reasonable "who cares what OS you use" Windows users get tired of the stupid "Windows users get viruses everyday" crap from idiotic Mac users.

            I don't say things like that because while Macs are my personal preference, I understand that entirely reasonable people might prefer Windows or Linux.
      • Rileyper, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I'm a pc windows user and im happy with apple, they make my wireless internet work on my airport, i had fun with a hammer on my netgear and linksys(cisco) routers
    • Rileyper, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3because they made a technology section for apple...
  • xxbrighteyed, on 10/10/2007, -9/+3I have never had a mouse die on me, and i'm a windows user, so non-story if you ask me
  • oojamaflip2006, on 10/10/2007, -8/+2My mouse cost £210 (approx $420) but its still working...so I'm happy, kinda.
  • Dustmuffins, on 10/10/2007, -5/+1dead... anyone got a mirror?
  • swordphish, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2My 7100 mouse has survived ~12 years and my 68040 mouse ~13 years. Each have hundred of thousands (possibly millions) of lines of code and years of Warcraft 2. Both will probably survive many more years to come. Older mechanical keyboards/mice are definitely a lot more durable than newer ones. My eMac 700 mouse (and CD-R drive) died on me after only 3-4 years. My G5 1.6 mouse is in near perfect condition still =)
  • loudestnoise, on 10/10/2007, -6/+3My mouse lights up blue and red. Pwned!
    • Rileyper, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2pwned mine does purple red blue green orange, its a targus
  • TechCF, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8My $10 keyboard still works (bought it in '93) and it has deformed keys (playing with lighter while loading) painted with paint for car rims and been in my bag to a ton of demo/computer parties. Do need a AT-> PS2 -> USB adapter though
  • scooby472000, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1My apple bluetooth mouse, bought in 2006, lasted barely a year. Damn you Apple for not considering what a two year will do to a mouse!
    • angusware, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1me too.
    • Decimal, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2You do know that you have to change the batteries in those things, right?
    • Rileyper, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Have you tried replacing the batteries
    • cpjax, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1well mine just doesnt right click, all the other butons work fine though. strange
  • stegre, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2can your server last a few diggs?
  • Pushkin, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Still have my original Razer Boomslang 2000 (and that is DPI, not the year it came out) - took it apart once and gave it a needlepoint's worth of WD-40 about 4 years ago - it still works as if it was new and not some 11 years old
  • scabbers, on 10/10/2007, -2/+8Considering how much that computer cost new, I'd say she still didn't get her money's worth.
  • songtexte32, on 10/10/2007, -7/+0If anxiety about missing an important e-mail or instant message is keeping you glued to your keyboard, Logitech Inc. has an answer that could set you free: http://www.songtexte32.com/interpreten/badfinger/index.php
  • manx203, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I still have a working Classic
  • ulfy01, on 10/10/2007, -3/+3Not bad. But will it blend?
  • Cathartik, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1My Logitech G5 mouse died on me only after 3 years. Technically it all still works, except the scroll wheel and who wants to use a mouse for games with no dam scroll wheel?
  • cfpresley, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9Where is apple care when you need it?
  • RyanWilliams, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2I guess if she's actually using it regularly then that's quite an accomplishment. While I've got loads of old equipment knocking around like most people, I certainly haven't been using it with any degree of regularity for the past 18 years.

    Of course, I wouldn't *want* to use a mouse for 18 years as I'm a consumer whore and like shiny new stuff. I can't really believe she did!
  • mestefantro, on 10/10/2007, -3/+1I can has mouse!
  • joe18, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1http://www.google.com/search?hs=sUq&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.marialanger.com%2F2007%2F08%2F01%2Fcan-your-mouse-last-18-years%2F&btnG=Search
  • Blitzenn, on 10/10/2007, -6/+1lol, rothlmao, and what exactly was she still doing with the thing to begin with? What CAN you do with such a beast still? Not much relatively speaking. I would propose that anyone using any 'computer' mac, pc or otherwise from that era, does not deserve anyone's attention.
    • gr3yn3t, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4You are the reason that people say digg has been overtaken by 13-year olds.

      You can do _tons_ of stuff with old computers, have you ever ...used... one?
  • Borniet, on 10/10/2007, -3/+2She doesn't surf porn, that's the trick!
  • Philbert, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2As much as I love Compaq (HP) every computer I've bought from them came with a mouse that didn't work right or didn't work at all.
    • potterboy, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1How can you LOVE HP these days? They are responsible for almost all my PC Repair buisness.
  • paintballpc, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1for 49$ US it better last at least 12 years
  • Akadjjoel, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4I hope she has decent backups for her company. SAD Mac logo and creepy sound affects will make her crap in her pants.
    • Seaton, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1dum dum dummmmmm.

      Sweet Jesus I remember those!
  • JohnnyXmas, on 10/10/2007, -3/+2If it's a Mac IIci, then it's not even Apple's mouse. It'd still be that angular "ergonomic" one they "procured" from Xerox.
  • Zippo, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7Back then, things were made to last. Parts were expensive and we made with durable, thick plastic, and a lot of big parts. There was less to the mice themselves and therefore less could go wrong. A lot of stuff seems to last less time over the years. Cars aren't made like they used to be. Hell, back in the day, a GameBoy could live an explosion in the Gulf War and still play Tetris.

    Now git off my lawn.
    • keepinithamsta, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0The original GameBoys still tend to work even if they weren't taken care of that well. Just blow in it! :D
      A Logitech G7 lasted me 14 months. I said screw the warranty and just tossed it and purchased a Razer Copperhead. Lady got lucky finding that exact replacement so quickly.
    • AdamFromMyspace, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Hell yeah.. my keyboard's the mechanical-switch type from a 1984 IBM PS/2 and is still going strong.. 23 years? Screw this article..
  • potterboy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Once I was playing CounterStrike and my cheap mouse actually had the LMB fall right off.
  • Kevinman, on 10/10/2007, -5/+2Here in Ireland, langer is a slang word for penis, or being excessively drunk, "Ah lads I was langered last night", or "Ah ***** my langer's showin'".
    • jaabbott, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Thanks, Kevinman. I'll tell maria's brother. He'll be thrilled.
    • 3vno, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1so langer can be used as a verb,noun, and an adjective what about an interjection? Like," Langer!! Ireland has funny slang words!!"
  • stevem99, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0yawn.. bury.
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