I’m puttering around on my machine tonight, playing some games and doing the usual rounds online, when suddenly my Wireless Intellimouse Explorer stops responding. I go through the usual rigamarole – unplugging/replugging the USB base for it (no help), trying to re-connect the wireless signal (doesn’t work), swapping out the batteries in the mouse (no use). It is, in effect, toast.
Amusingly enough, though, I’m able to continue using my Mac, even without a mouse. Sure, I could plug one in from my collection of Apple mice acquired over the years, but…what’s the point, really? I can login just fine. I can launch all my apps without it (thanks to my Quicksilver triggers). I can web browse reasonably well without it – well enough to make this blog post.
It just struck me sort of odd how the platform that for years was so frequently bashed for making people rely on the mouse so heavily is now at a point where I can function just as well without. I don’t feel like I’ve had a limb removed or am in any way really disabled at this point. I’m not even sure how much I need to purchase a replacement mouse…