Logitech First Mouse

I had a fairly common problem with my home computer recently I needed a new mouse. Nothing fancy, just one that would let me point and click without getting stuck somewhere as I moved it. I didn't want to spend a ton of money, but none of the really cheap mice (mouses?) I saw looked all that great and the ones that looked good were selling for $30 or more. Then I came across Logitech's First Mouse, which is by no means the first mouse from Logitech they're one of the recognized leaders in pointing devices, and many computer makers have bundled Logitech mice with their systems (even Unix-based "workstations" costing as much as a new Mercedes). At under $20 I figured that the First Mouse would be a safe bet, and I was not wrong at all.
The First Mouse is basically the same mouse that Logitech currently sells to "original equipment manufacturers" both large and small. It's fairly small, narrower than the current Microsoft Mouse, and

fits nicely in the hand; unlike some other mice (including certain previous Logitech OEM models) it's fairly massive and feels solid. Unlike most Logitech retail mice (but like the Microsoft Mouse) it has two buttons rather than three, and the left button has a large dimple to identify it at a touch. Mouse motion was very smooth and accurate, even on a plain, ordinary laminated desk surface; I plan to buy a good mouse pad soon, but the First Mouse works well without it. I mentioned that it only has two buttons, while other Logitech models often have three. I actually prefer it this way, since Microsoft Windows is designed to use only two buttons, but it actually turns out that the mouse is designed to emulate three-button

Logitech operation to use the "center button" you press both buttons at the same time. This leads me to the other nice feature of the First Mouse, the MouseWare package that enhances mouse operation in both Windows 95 and Windows 3.1 and in DOS as well. The MouseWare control panel lets you set special functions for all three button combinations (as a default you can press center to double-click), set acceleration and double-click speed and perform other functions dealing with the mouse. (If you're using some really bizarre operating system that doesn't have a specific Logitech mouse driver, you can still use the mouse with a generic driver, as has been the case with every Logitech two-button mouse and all but the oldest three-button Logitech mice.)
Speaking of compatibility, the First Mouse is available in both serial and "PS/2-type" versions; unlike later Microsoft Mouse models these can't be adapted from one type of port to the other, so make sure to get the right one. If both your mouse and keyboard have very small round plugs that fit identical jacks these are usually found on major-brand systems like IBM, Compaq, AST or Dell you'll need the PS/2 version. If your present mouse plugs into a 9-pin port use the serial version; if it's plugged into a 25-pin port you'll need an adapter to use the serial First Mouse (the adapter from your old mouse, if any, will probably work). If your present mouse has a small round plug but your keyboard has a larger five-pin plug and the mouse is plugged into one of your add-on cards (by itself or into your video card), you have a "bus" mouse. In this case you can still use the serial First Mouse, but you may need to buy a serial port card if you don't have a port that isn't presently in use.
Connect to the Logitech web site.
-- Ed Ellers