OpenOfficeMouse isn't free, isn't pretty
By Donald Melanson 
posted Nov 6th 2009 2:33PM
posted Nov 6th 2009 2:33PM
Think it's only gamers that require mice with more buttons than a scientific calculator? Then you've probably not met a die hard OpenOffice user, who now finally have a mouse to call their own in the form of the OpenOfficeMouse. Developed by WarMouse in partnership with the OpenOffice.org community, this corded point-and-clicker packs no less than 18 programmable buttons (each with double-click functionality), along with support for up to 63 separate profiles, a clickable scroll wheel, an adjustable resolution from 400 to 1,600 CPI, and, get this, a built-in analog joystick that can itself be used to store up to sixteen different keys or macros. Still no firm word on availability, it seems, but you can expect to pay $74.99 for this one.
isn't comfortable too, by the looks
Are you kidding? That mouse is f'kin HOT!
Apple Magic Mouse, eat your heart out!
F*ck yeah! Who needs multitouch when you have a different button for everything?! 8D
Does it come in black?
You could do one mean ass "Hadouken!" with that mouse.
Fight!
I thought it was one of those photoshop jokes, until I hit read link
I think my eyeballs just threw up...
After years of trying, someone finally made a mouse worse than Apple's Hockey Puck. Congrads. There is an entire ring of Hell reserved just for you.
Yeah, that curved backside doesn't look very ergonomic.
OpenOffice mouse? The uncomfortable interface makes it more like a GIMP mouse.
Or for $5 less you could just get MS Office! Isn't the whole point of OpenOffice that it's free? http://www.journeyed.com/item/Microsoft/Office%20Standard/87011473LARS
I think the fact that OpenOffice.org is available for Mac is the single most ironic thing about this mouse.
I think this mouse needs the ribbon UI.
Wow...how can something brand new look so much like an antique?
I blame the pointy, inwardly curved buttons.
That's just how things look when you aren't trying that hard to make it look pretty. I think this could be a great mouse for some users.
I'm wondering if you could get two, and then use them as your keyboard!
"Wow...how can something brand new look so much like an antique?"
It had to continue with that OpenOffice tradition to get the branding.
This is a better design (only 3 button), and also look antique:
http://img29.imageshack.us/i/mousecad.jpg/
My eyes! The goggles do nothing!
Needs moar buttons!
That statement is really funny with that Apple user pic you have there :)
Kinda defeats the usefulness of a mouse when you have that many buttons all next to each other. There'd be no way to use this thing without looking at it to make sure of which button you're pressing.
Do you look at your keyboard when you type?
@JStro
The design of the keyboard, qwerty layout, placement of keys, ergonomics, and so on, has undergone more than 100 years of trial and error to get us where we are today. Do you think that the OpenOffice mouse, which is a rejection of everything that makes sense in a mouse, should skirt that?
I oppose you and your mousal anarchism! Trotskyite!
@JStro: No, but then I had years of practice through elementary and middle school to get to that point, on all kinda of different keyboards with the same layout. Trying to get a similar amount of experience with this mouse would be ridiculous.
The buttons are arranged 3x3 with an index key and ample spacing. What exactly do you need to look at? It's not like they have labels.
-1.
I'm pretty sure I could get used to this.
I'm guessing you geniuses can't dial a phone without looking either?
...really? You couldn't use this without looking?
You'll have at least two, probably three fingers up there. Each finger is responsible for a 3x3 grid of buttons. I can operate the calculator that I use _maybe_ once a week with one finger without looking at the buttons, and that's a 4x4 grid. And a couple arrow keys up near the top. I can operate a TV remote control with one finger without looking, and that's probably 20+ buttons. You can't do 9?
Hell, I can even manage (with some difficulty) to type with 2 or 3 fingers without looking. Hell even if I did look it wouldn't help much - keyboard is labeled in QWERTY but I type in Dvorak.
I think the concern is more the size of the buttons than the amount. They could probably throw a decent bit more on there and you could still use it just fine, assuming the buttons were large enough to actually press (...which at that point they wouldn't be)
Wow... talk about overblowing it. First of all, my point was less that it's impossible to navigate a grid of buttons in general, and more that it takes time and practice throughout your life to get used to such a thing. Since nobody uses mice that have that many buttons arranged that closely together, there's no way to be used to it enough to tell which button you're pressing. For everyone claiming it's a 3x3 grid: no it's not. It's a 3x2 grid with another 2x1 grid on the side, and all of those on each side. You're pretty much gonna have to navigate each grid(with its various sized buttons) with one finger, index on the left and ring on the right. A few small trials is all it takes to realize this isn't going to be very efficient and, especially with the ring finger, there's likely to be many mispresses. I'm sure it's *possible* to use the mouse without looking(it's called a hyperbole), but it sure won't be easy or efficient.
I can't believe I actually had to type this, but I guess no matter how ridiculous an idea is, someone will defend it like crazy.
I'm with Mark -- DOWN WITH INNOVATION AND NEW IDEAS!!
Seriously though, how could you possibly expect to be accustomed to this when it has only just come out, Mark? Do you really think people are not capable of getting used to using it?
If so, then I hereby declare, on your behalf, that all future versions of computers, Windows, Mac OS, Linux and Firefox should be cancelled as no one is, at this point in time, used to using them and it will take time to get used to them.
You use your ring finger to right-click?
...
noob
@everyone but mark: so why are the keys color coded then?
not that you couldnt learn to use it without looking.
@everyone but mark: You don't get the point, do you? The key here is usability. I'd rather stick with the 3 button mouse than this fugly thing. Too many buttons is frustrating. But if you think it's cool to have that mouse, then go get it. We don't care.
dude, it's known as customisation
you can choose what each button does making it easier to remember becasue each button does what you want it to.
Qwerty was designed to be inefficient.
They should make it like Samsung and ad a nice chick before making pictures...
hahaha
so true
I think the colors on this mouse make it look pretty cheap. If they made it all gunmetal and black and red like a hot gaming mouse it would probably be received better... Hell as a gaming mouse instead of productivity mouse it would probably be received better.
How many people in an office environment could learn to use a crazy mouse like this when so many people are barely computer literate enough to use email and word processors?
People in office environments use openoffice? I thought offices had enough of a pair to spend money on Real Office (and its inherent office-y exchange capabilities)
$75 for an unusable corded mouse?
Or you can pay $60 to get a 3-PC license Office 2007 Home and Student, and $15 for a cheap wireless mouse.
Why would you want a wireless mouse, unless your PC is a few meters away?
Is charging the batteries that much fun?
@ibelike Coreless mice are very covenant even on desktops. You only have to recharge the batteries every 4-6 months.
Forget the buttons, this mouse reminds me of the 80'. I picture this mouse next to a Pentium 90...
im awkwardly drawn to this.. lol
LOL
This thing looks as if the calculator division of Casio got drunk with the manufacturing division of Apple and decided to play a prank on both their parent companies.
hilarious haha
someones got a lot of TPS reports to write...
uhm, yah.....watcha doing this Saturday?
OMG, this could have been a prop from Office Space, couldn't it?
Imagine them giving this to Milton...