Fortunately help appears to be at hand, quite literally, as there are new an innovative ways to interact with our computers available and in general use already.  There’s the recently introduced Siri from Apple, which while it might be a version 1 product and in need of some improvement (especially if you’re Scottish) seems to work rather well for voice interaction.

Then there’s the now venerable Kinect, coming soon to Windows to help us to all pretend to be Tom Cruise throwing his windows around Minority Report style.  Touch screens are opening new opportunities too and new types of keyboards.  Sadly a wholesale move to touch technology can only guarantee that the next worldwide health scare is a pandemic of repetitive strain injury and nobody needs any of that.

But slowly and surely we are moving away from using keyboards and mice to control our computers and to communicate with them.  This has led me to wonder exactly how we’ll be doing this in the future?  Clearly the outsider has got to be voice.  With so many languages, dialects and words to learn we’re still many years from the processing power needed to produce reliable results, and do you want to explain to your boss that you had said “brick” in that email but the software misunderstood you?

Then comes touch.  RSI issues aside we can still use them to read natural handwriting.  This technology has now been around and working reliably for a decade, the postal services around the world have invested huge sums in computers that can read the words we write.  Alas this is a slow process and writing out a long email instead of typing it in under half the time just isn’t suitable for the demands of modern life.  This brings us then to the Kinect which is great for throwing things around but pretty useless the first time you actually try and do precise work with it.

This means there there’s a gap, sitting somewhere between what he have and what we don’t and I thought I’d throw this out for you to see what you think will be the control methods of tomorrow?  Will we will use keyboards and mice so much, or will the mouse go in favour of gestures and will basic keyboard controls be taken on by voice control instead?  In short, will be resort to using all of these technologies simultaneously to control our devices?

I bring this up because this has all really taken off just this year.  2011 has been a tremendous year for new ways to control computers with some of the most amazing technologies put into practical and widespread use for the first time.  2012 looks to be even more exciting with swipe gesture control coming to Windows 8.  We may not want this though.  For many a keyboard and mouse are just fine and they’ll want to keep things like that.  What do you think?  Do you think there will be an outright winner and do you even think that ten years form now we’ll have any choice in what we use?  Why not tell us here.

That certainly would add some confusion (where is the mouse pointer) but also reduce mouse movement throughout the day.

Unlimited Mouse is a free program for the Windows operating system that enables that feature. The application is a portable software that can be executed directly on the system.

The functionality that the program provides becomes available immediately afterwards. You can now move the mouse through the edge of the left screen to make it reappear on the right. This works for all four screen edges and directions.

You’ll probably feel a bit dizzy in your first session with the new functionality as you may not be used to the cursor making big jumps on the screen.

You can not only move the mouse cursor from one edge of the screen to another, but also windows or files that you have selected and started to drag around.

I do not have a second computer monitor, and cannot say therefor if the program is multi-monitor compatible. If you test this, let me know in the comments please.

The program displays an icon in the Windows system tray on launch. A right-click displays options to lock or unlock the mouse. Locking means that you cannot move the mouse from one edge to the other.

Windows 7 users may notice that some of their operating system’s functionality, like the Aero Snap feature, stops working once Unlimited Mouse has been started. It is still possible to use the Windows+cursor key shortcut for the functionality though.

Windows users can download Unlimited Mouse from the developer website. The program is compatible with all recent 32-bit and 64-bit editions of the Windows operating system. (via)

A free program in this regard, best used in combination with the above, is Clikka Mouse. The program can be used to emulate mouse actions at the position of the mouse cursor. Supported by the mouse emulation software are several actions, from left-, double-, right- and middle-clicking to dragging and dropping the target to a new location.

The program needs to be installed before it can be used. It places a small bar at the left side of the screen that hides automatically when it is not selected by the user (this is done by moving the mouse pointer on the bar area).

A click on one of the emulated actions makes it the active action so that it becomes possible to use mouse actions without using the mouse at all.

The program interprets the user’s movement and will initiate the action when the movement stops. Lets take the left-click action as an example. A left-click is simulated after selection whenever you stop moving the mouse on the screen. A tolerance value in the program’s settings determines the click target.

You basically move the mouse and the program does the clicking for you. The same principle applies to all other mouse actions the program offers.

Clikka Mouse could use shortcuts to make the selection process easier, especially for users who switch between actions regularly (and if it is only between left-click and no mouse action).

Windows users can download Clikka Mouse Free from the developer website. The program is compatible with all recent 32-bit and 64-bit editions of the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Computer mice come in all size and shapes. You can buy small models for mobile use, gaming mice with more than a dozen different buttons, plain two button mice and even mice for big handed individuals.

The USB big mouse that is manufactured by Brando nevertheless plays in a different league. The USB mouse measures a whooping 175mm in length, 105mm in width and 55mm in height making it one of the largest, if not the largest, retail mouse in the world.

When you look at the product image above you will notice that it comes with flashing LED lights and a translucent edge.

The core question here is whether it is ergonomic to work with this large mouse for an extended period of time. While that certainly depends on the size of the hands of the user, it looks as if the sheer size of the mouse requires movement not only of the hand but also lower arm.

The USB mouse comes with two mouse buttons and a scroll wheel. The flashing LED light makes it more of a gadget than a piece of hardware that you could work with all day. It is not clear if the effect can be disabled.

When you search for an extra large computer mouse for large hands you do not find a lot of offers, and while the USB big mouse looks more like a gadget, it could be an alternative for users with very large hands. The mouse retails for $20. More information are available at the manufacturer website.

Which leads to the following question: Which computer mouse are you using?

Microsoft’s Mouse Without Borders is a tool for Windows to use one mouse on multiple computers in the same computer network. This way you could use one mouse both on a desktop PC and a laptop, as long as both computers are connected to the same network and that the Mouse Without Borders software is installed on all computers.

You need to install the software on all computers that you want to control with a single mouse. When you start the program for the first time you are asked to if you have installed the program on another computer in the network. If you click yes, you see a prompt where you have to enter a security code and the computer’s name to establish the connection.

If you select the no option, a security code is generated and displayed next to the computer’s name.

You then need to repeat the steps for all computer systems that you want to control with one mouse. Please note that Mouse Without Borders is limited to four PC systems that you can use a single mouse on.

Once setup, you can use the mouse on all PCs as if it was a single desktop. You can move the mouse between PCs and work on each computer individually without switching input devices.

One interesting feature is the ability to drag and drop files from one computer to the other this way. Just select the files on one computer and drag and drop them to another to copy or move them to the second PC.

Additional options include locking all PCs or logging in on all at once. Here is a video that demonstrates the capabilities in the second half.

Mouse Without Boarders is a Microsoft The Garage project, in which Microsoft employees come together after work to build and invent. The program can be downloaded from Microsoft’s Technet website.

I usually feel the urge to clean my keyboard when I’m working on the computer, for instance when I see some dust on it. The problem that I constantly face is that I cannot really clean the computer while it is running. The same goes for the computer mouse. The reason is simple: Both the mouse and keyboard send keys or actions to the system which are then executed if the computer is running. And you need to press down the keys or mouse buttons if you want to thoroughly clean the hardware.

Sure, it is possible to shut down the computer to clean the keyboard and mouse while it is off. Then again, why shut down the computer if there is a way to clean keyboard and mouse while the computer is running.

You could try and lock the computer while cleaning, but that method is not foolproof as you may hit a key accidentally that unlocks the PC again.

The idea of using child protection software, like Toddler Keys or Kid Key Lock, makes sense considering that the programs can be used to disable keys and mouse buttons effortlessly.

Toddler Keys is probably the more sophisticated of the two. The program adds an icon to the Windows System Tray upon execution. A right-click displays the available options.

Here it is possible to lock the keyboard, keyboard and mouse, drive doors or power button separately. A keyword to unlock the computer is set in the program options. The default word is quit which needs to be entered to unlock the keyboard and mouse again.

You basically start the program and lock the keyboard and mouse whenever you want to clean your keyboard or mouse. I’d suggest to shut down the computer though before you start thoroughly cleaning it, especially if you are using fluids to do so (via).

You may also want to take a look at Mike’s guide on cleaning the insides of a computer.

With a three button mouse, typically people keep the default settings. With a five button mouse, the extra two buttons often go unused. The default is that they typically are used to go back and forward in web browsers and file managers. This is not as handy in other programs. Other functions might be more useful; the user should decided what they need. For example, I would rather use the extra buttons to copy and paste text. Enter btnx.

Using Btnx

To install btnx, search for it in Ubuntu’s Software Center (found in the Application menu). Alternatively, you can install it from the command line.

sudo apt-get install btnx

Now you can access btnx from:

Applications > System Tools > btnx

This will bring up a GUI dialog box for you to configure you mouse. From here, click “Detect mouse & buttons” and follow the steps. It will have you test your mouse and label the buttons. Don’t forget to add your scroll wheel. It is an extra step compared to manufacturers’ software, but it only takes a minute or two. Next, click on the “Buttons” tab to configure what each button does. Usually, it is the extra mouse buttons that are the best to customize, but any can be changed.

In this case, I set the keycode on “Button-1″ (named by me) to “C” and the modifier to “Ctrl.” Since this is just a case of simulating “ctrl+c” to copy something, left or right control keys are irrelevant. Naturally, I set the “Button-2″ as “ctrl-v” for paste. Page Up & Page Down would also make sense. Options are not limited to key combinations. Programs and other buttons can be set as well. A wide array of functions are available for someone to choose from.

Make sure to click the “Enabled” check box. To apply the changes, restart btnx from the “Configurations” tab. If a change does not seem to be taking place, try restarting btnx or your computer.

Note: The homepage and the help files were not available. For clarification and program details, use the man pages from the Wayback Machine.

Problems and Issues

In tests, while the remapping worked, a curious side effect evolved: the buttons now work as both copy & paste and forward & back. This made them useless in websites. Further research lead to a fix: xinput. The program will let you swap or disable mouse buttons, among other things. It should come with Ubuntu and other types of Linux, but it can be installed from the terminal:

sudo apt-get install xinput

Once installed, you need to use it to list and show devices:

xinput list

You should see your pointing device listed. Look for your manufacturer’s name. If the name appears twice, then you need to use the “id” number in place of the name. Once you have found this information, you can disable the extra button functionality with the following line:

xinput set-button-map “Your mouse name” 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 0

Now, your mouse should work as intended. Btnx will still know you are pressing the buttons, so the remap will still work. If you have problems, try running through “Detect mouse & buttons” again to make sure they were set correctly. Note: You may have to do this each time you customize the buttons.

Closing

It took some time to find the answers, but I now have perfectly functional copy & paste buttons on my trackball. These solutions where found in the forums at ubuntuforums and pinoygeek. With luck, you will not have the problems that I ran into. If you do, I hope this article saves you the trouble of having to research the solution. Please feel free to share how you remap your mouse in the comments.

Those users may prefer to disable Aero Snap under Windows. The setting to do that is hidden deep inside the Control Panel.

To disable Aero Snap do the following

Click on the Start Orb of the operating system and select Control Panel from the menu that opens. Locate and click on Ease of Access.

In the next window select Change how your mouse works.

The next screen offers configuration options for the mouse. Here it is for instance possible to change mouse cursor size and color.

Locate the Make it easier to manage windows group and put a checkmark into “Prevent windows from being automatically arranged when moved to the edge of the screen”. This disables Aero Snap for the current user.

Click on Apply to save the configuration change.

Experienced users can disable Aero Snap in the Registry instead. To open the Registry editor press Windows-r, type regedit and hit the enter key on the keyboard.

Navigate to the following key in the Registry:

KEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop

Locate the parameter WindowArrangementActive on the right side and change its value to 0 if you want to disable Aero Snap, or to 1 if you want to enable it again.

And that’s how you disable Aero Snap on Windows. Are you using the feature?

The free software program AutoSensitivity changes that by offering the user an option to define different sensitives for mouse and touchpad use.

The application offers one screen with options to set different sensitivities. Sliders are available for both touchpad and mouse to change their sensitivity on the fly. It is furthermore possible to get the actual sensitivity with a click on the Get Current button. A click on apply saves the new sensitivity settings which are from that moment on available on the system.

The application will from then on switch the mouse sensitivity automatically depending on the input device without further user interaction. Users who switch regularly and find the application useful can set it to run at system startup so that it is automatically available.

AutoSensitivity is available at the Codeplex website. The application can be run on systems that have the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 installed. (via)

The free software program Mouse Speed Switcher is able to do that. The application can configure up to three different computer mice individually.

Configuration of each mouse is handled in the main application window that pops up after start. The mouse speed can be configured individually for each mouse with a slider. There is only one additional option, to enhance pointer precision.

There is an additional option to configure hotkeys to quickly switch between mouse speed layouts without having to use the system tray menu. But that’s optional. Most users will probably switch between different mice by clicking on the program’s tray icon.

The program has no built in option to automatically switch the speed if the user switches the mouse, e.g. from an USB connected mouse to a laptop’s trackpad.

Verdict

Mouse Speed Switcher is an excellent tool for users who need different mouse speeds for different input devices. The application displays a nag screen every now and then, which can be closed immediately when it appears. Users can register the application for €7.50 to get rid of the nag screen.

Mouse Speed Switcher Download and Compatibility

The download is available at the developer website. It is fully compatible with most Windows operating systems. Mouse Speed Switcher has been tested on a Windows 7 Professional 64-bit system.

Mouse Speed Alternatives

Automatic Mouse Switcher is an Open Source alternative for that purpose. As the name suggests, it detects the active mouse or trackpad automatically and switches speeds accordingly.

MouseClick is a free program for Windows, Mac and Linux that offers a simpler solution. The program basically emulates a mouse click whenever mouse movement stops.

Available for selection are left, right and middle-clicks as well as a feature called smart drag.

mouseclick

MouseClick for Windows is a portable lightweight application. It displays a set of buttons on startup, which define the emulation type. These can be configured right in the program interface, or with hotkeys.

A click on S, or Ctrl-F11, starts the selected program mode. MouseClick by default sends a click to the computer whenever the mouse movement stops. This takes some time to get used to, and it is likely that unwanted clicks are made in the beginning, especially when browsing the Internet. A rule of thumb, if you do not want a click do not place the cursor over a clickable element, or turn off the program first with the hotkey.

click mouse buttons automatically

The developer created MouseClick to assist ” in the recovery and prevention of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)”. The software has other uses besides that. It can for instance be helpful for laptop, notebook or netbook users who work with the touchpad.

Yes, those touchpads come with buttons as well but it is sometimes easier not to use them, especially when it comes to dragging and dropping windows for instance.

Users who want to try out MouseClick can download it from the developer website over at UFridman (via Web Domination).

Update: The homepage of the developer is not available anymore. We have uploaded the latest version of Mouse Click to our servers. You can download MouseClick here: Mouseclick (106)

This lovely little device is a mouse with a built-in calculator.  While the idea might seem a little silly to some, it certainly has merit.

It’s features include…

This is no cheaply made device either, it’s a precision laser mouse and a great way to reduce desktop clutter.  You don’t for instance need to be using your mouse when working out a calculation, so why have two devices?

This is a product destined for a niche market, especially given that most people will be concerned what happens when they’re constantly pressing buttons while using it as a mouse.  For some people though this is an excellent and inventively simple solution to a problem that’s plagued the PC for the last twenty years.

Of course Linux is not without such tools. Both the GNOME and the KDE desktop have tools who’s purpose is to make life a little bit easier. On the KDE desktop there are two particular tools that tackle that task: KMag and KMouseTool. In this article I will introduce you to both of these tools so you can make them available to anyone in need.

Installation

The only installation necessary is the installation of the KDE desktop. Once that is complete the tools will be found in main KDE menu under Start > Applications > Utilities. Let’s take a look at these tools one at a time.

KMagnifier

Figure 1

KMag (as it is referred to) is a KDE branch of the old XMag tool and does exactly as you would think it does – it magnifies a portion of the screen so those with vision impairments can see the screen (see Figure 1). KMag has three modes:

Follow Mouse Mode: This will magnify the portion of the screen where the mouse is. It is the default behavior. This mode takes up the smallest amount of real estate on the screen.

Selection Window Mode: This will magnify the currently selected window. This mode takes up more screen real estate to function properly.

Whole Screen Mode: This mode will magnify the whole screen. I’m not sure why this mode is included as it is fairly challenging to use.

You can also adjust the magnification level by selecting from the Zoom in drop down. Understand that the more magnification you get, the blurrier the image will be. Around the 1:5 ratio zoom things start to get a bit too fuzzy to read. You can also stop and start KMag so that when you do not need it it is not doing its thing.  Finally KMag has a built-in screen shot tool so you can snag images of a portion of the screen magnified. This comes in handy when creating how-to documentation for those with vision imparements.

KMouseTool

KMouseTool is a KDE tool that serves one purpose, it clicks the mouse for you. For anyone with a disability that affects normal use of the fingers, this can be one of the best tools available. How this works is when the mouse pauses for a set interval the left mouse button is clicked. It’s actually quite easy to use. You move your mouse to what you want to click on, you pause, and the mouse button is clicked.

You can also enable Smart Move which means once the mouse button is clicked (after a pause), after another brief pause (the default is 1/10 second) the mouse button is clicked and held. This enables clicking and dragging.

Figure 2

In order to enable these features you have to open up the KMouseTool window, set them, click Apply, and then close the settings window (see Figure 2). You will probably want to configure this to Start with KDE. When you do there will be an icon for KMouseTool in the notification area where you can start and stop the feature.

The only drawback to KMouseTool is there is no way to define a right mouse click. Other than that it is ideal for those with such debilitation as arthritis.

Final thoughts

Linux is certainly available for everyone. And with the right tools, it is even possible to make it available to those with disabilities. Both KMag and KMouseTool makes Linux possible for those who might not have been able to without such tools.

This could change with Gmote, a free portable software for Windows that adds mouse gesture support to the operating system. Gmote enables a set of gestures that can be drawn with the right mouse button on the desktop.

mouse gestures

The program visualizes the gestures on the screen and will execute the configured action after the user has finished the drawing. It is possible to draw on open windows and programs as well making the mouse gesture software universally applicable.

Gestures can be configured in the application interface. All it takes is to click the Create gesture button, record the gesture on the right screen and select an action on the left. The program offers a lot of different actions from starting applications, opening websites or simulating keystrokes to Windows specific commands like maximizing windows, managing the media player and copy / paste operations.

custom gestures

Sets can be saved and loaded which could be interesting for multi-computer environments. The standard way of drawing gestures on the screen can be changed in the options. It is for instance possible to use the middle mouse button instead or a combination of keys and mouse.

It is also recommended to enable faster trails in the options to reduce the lag when drawing on the screen.

Programs can be excluded as well which can be used to prevent conflicts. Gmote is compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows. The program can be downloaded directly from the developer’s website.

That’s the end of the calibration phase and HeadMouse 2 can be used from then on to control the computer mouse. The mouse cursor can be moved by turning the head into the direction it should be moved. Turning the head to the left side would move the cursor to the left while turning it up would move it up.

There are three different methods to perform a mouse click. A mouse click can be initiated by closing the eyes, opening the mouse or not moving the head around for 1.5 seconds. At least one method has to be activated. Objects like windows or icons can be moved using the very same principle by clicking once on the object to activate it, moving the head to move it and clicking again to place it.

There are several occasions where HeadMouse 2 could come in handy. It provides the means to control the mouse with a webcam and movement of the head. While it is not as fast as using the hands to control the computer mouse it provides sufficient means to work with the computer.

HeadMouse2

SlowMousion comes to the rescue. The software sits quietly in the system tray upon installation and provides the user with one feature: To slow down the computer mouse speed. It makes use of a global hotkey to slow down the computer mouse. By default that hotkey is the Windows key but it can be changed to other keys, and the left-, middle- and right-mouse buttons.

The mouse speed is reduced to a fraction of the normal speed upon pressing the hotkey which has to be pressed continuously for the effect to last.

SlowMousion does not (unfortunately) come with options to adjust the slow down factor which would definitely be a recommended setting for an updated version.

The software program is compatible to windows2000, Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Three global settings are provided by KatMouse. The first is the default wheel scroll speed which is set to 3 lines at a time, the second the ability to scroll page-wise by pressing the wheel button and the left (down) or right (up) mouse button and finally the option to push down windows in the desktop Z-order with the Wheel button when the window is active.

Custom scroll settings can be defined for applications and classes. Applications have to be added by browsing to the application’s executable while Classes are added by dragging and dropping files into the program window of KatMouse.

X-Mouse Button Control was that application. It runs on 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows XP, 2003 and Windows Vista and is using roughly 2 Megabytes when running in the background. The main purpose – better my purpose – of using that software is to add functions to a fourth and fifth mouse button. It would not make much sense to change the left, middle or right mouse button because they are already reserved for important Windows functions.

You can configure buttons to launch applications, issue specific Windows commands or simulate keystrokes. It could be configured to open the email application, web browser or a text document but also to switch to windows or cut, copy and paste text.

It’s very versatile and can simulate almost everything on the computer. Another excellent feature is the ability to create mouse layouts for specific applications. This would make it possible to use customized actions for selected applications. You could set copy and paste to the fourth and fifth mouse button in a text editor and load a playlist or video in your favorite media player. One thing that’s missing is the option to set actions for the mouse wheel as well but that’s the only criticism that I have.

Eight functions are offered in total, it is possible to set the double right-click to lock, shutdown or log off the computer, to minimize the active window or all windows, to close the active window or all windows and to mute the sound.

The major problem that I have with this application is that a (double) right-click always opens the right-click menu as well. I tried configuring the double right-click to minimize all windows and the reaction time was not great. First the right-click window opened, then nothing happened for some time and after a few seconds all windows where minimized.

It’s probably better to configure the additional mouse buttons if your mouse has any instead of trying to add a function to the double right-click. My Logitech mouse is already a bit older but it has so many buttons that I sometimes press one accidentally.

PC Hover Wheel is a tiny application that sits in the system tray. It adds one functionality to Windows and that is that you can always scroll the window the mouse is placed on. This means that you can scroll the document even though a popup or another window opened in Windows, great for ignoring it until you finished reading.

I personally like the idea of the script but would prefer if it would be integrated into a bigger script collection to justify starting this script with Windows. My system tray would be filled with this great tiny one-purpose scripts otherwise.