My (Logitech, PS2 port) mouse has been really jumpy lately.  I've tried 
cleaning it (rinse off the ball, scrape the rollers clean) several 
times, to no avail.  I've checked the connections.

I've had the mouse for probably 6 years.  Is this just planned 
obsolescense?  Should I try a different mousepad?

9 responses total.

It's possible your mouse needs a new ball.

New mice are pretty cheap, so probably no harm in experimenting.  I've taken
Microsquish mice apart for even deeper cleaning; they use optical sensing
which is pretty trouble-free but even those can get dust in the works.

Just bought a generic serial mouse for $10 and pad for $2 at K-mart.  The $12
is worth it to not have to wrestle with the mouse performance.

Open it up and clean any dust and dirt out of it.  Most, but not all, mice
are optical so pay particular attention to the two slotted wheels for the X
and Y coordinates.  There are a couple of optical sensors for each of these
wheels, so that direction of rotation can be determined via quadrature.  Make
sure there is no dust or dirt in any of their windows because this would
interfear with the light path and cause problems.

Circuit city sells the Kensington mouse for $7.

Apple has a new optical mouse.  It really is optical, no ball, no moving
parts.  It is $60 as I remember.

Does it need a special pad or does it work on regular desktops?

It works on a regular desktop, no special pad needed.  It just doesn't work
on a mirror.  (Another technology to look into.)

As I understand it, you don't even need a desktop, you can set it on your leg
for example.  This could be handy with a notebook.

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