My New MS Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000

[CaptainKirk]

I really want a Evoluent but I must wait for a way to have one delivered to me. In the meantime I bought this MS Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 as it was recommended here. After 2 days I am unfortunately not impressed.

It requires a different hand position than I have been using for years with my MS IntelliMouse Explorer 4 but I think I could/will get used to that. BTW I am not fan (not in the least) of MS--I am a Linux user in fact--but some of their mice are not bad.

This 6000 however, seems to be inaccurate. If I move it very slowly sometimes it jiggles a bit and overall it's hard to get from point A to point B quickly and accurately. And I didn't have this issue when I used a HP mouse for a few hours last week so I don't think it's just a difference between IntelliMouse and this Natural 6000. I don't know if I should return it or not. I don't know what other option I have for a decent mouse right now. I suppose I could go to a store, but a proper city is about an hour away from me.

Anyhow, that's my review--not the most comfortable mouse for me, but my wife likes it. But the real issue is that it seems inaccurate. I initially had to set the speed (on my Linux desktop) to be much slower than how it came out of the box which I would think would have increased accuracy. Not sure what the problem is.

[CaptainKirk]

I think I should try the 7000. It's a lot wider. I need a wide mouse I think.

[itlnstln]

I have been using the Natural 6000 for over a year now, and I have had no problems with it.  I would double-check your mouse settings, and see if there isn't something causing your issues.  It might just be a bum mouse, too, but I have never had a problem with them (I have two of these).

[nowsharing]

Are you using it on a surface that is reflective? Mine only functions well on a proper mouse pad, and I experienced what you are experiencing when using it on my desk's faux-wood keyboard tray.

On the right surface, mine works perfectly in Vista 64, Ubuntu, and Linux Mint.

[itlnstln]

I didn't think of that.  The Explorer 4 is optical while the 6000 is laser.  You might just have some tracking issues.  I use mine on a mousepad.

[CaptainKirk]

I use a black non-reflective mouse pad. Perhaps my X mouse settings could be changed but that wont' change the lack of accuracy. I don't think it would. Perhaps it is bad. I will have someone else test it for me--to try to draw a straight line slowly.

Thanks

[itlnstln]

I tried it, and it worked fine.  I'll try to post a screenshot after my conference call.

[CaptainKirk]

I hadn't even thought of testing my mice one against the other. GREAT idea however. Look at the results. Guess which is on the left and guess which is my old IntelliMouse.



Then I asked my wife to make a box with the Natural 6000 and she said, "It's impossible with this mouse--I have no control." With the IntelliMouse her box was not THAT much nicer but she concurred that it's far easier to use.

Obviously both use the same X settings. I think it's a bad mouse.

[itlnstln]

Probably, my lines don't look like that.  It could be, too, that you aren't quite used to how you need to move the mouse with that wrist position.  With a regular mouse, you can make a vertical line by clawing the mouse and flexing your wrist.  With the 6000, you need to move your whole arm.  If you try to "claw and flex" a vertical line with the 6000, you will get a diagonal line moving from right to left, top to bottom.  I still do this from time to time, but it does take a little while to relearn the muscle memory.

[CaptainKirk]

If you try to "claw and flex" a vertical line with the 6000, you will get a diagonal line moving from right to left, top to bottom.

If that was the issue, then it would be a STRAIGHT diagonal line. My lines aren't straight at all with this 6000. It wiggles I tell you!

I'm sending it back. Crooks I tell you! Highway robbery!

Maybe I will anyway give the 7000 a whirl. Looks wider which is better for me. Also rechargeable, heh heh.

[itlnstln]

Here are a few I just made (notice the diagonal lines):
 

[EverythingIBM]

There's mine, lol. I made a little mistake on the right corner, and, couldn't end it 100% perfectly. I bet if I tried a bit I could.