Do you mean ALL serial mice, or just optical serial mice?

The majority of serial mice were just standard ball mice that could be used with any old mousepad. There were a few optical ones that did require them. If that one is actually optical it's pretty strange indeed.

Yeah, I meant optical ones. Sorry I forgot to specify that in the thread title.

I don't like ball mice so I tend to forget they exist.

EdmondDantes wrote:

I don't like ball mice so I tend to forget they exist.

🤣 🤣

I don't think it is an optical mouse, as the box mentions a silicon rubber coated ball. I think the seller classified it wrong.

Koltoroc wrote:

I don't think it is an optical mouse, as the box mentions a silicon rubber coated ball. I think the seller classified it wrong.

Exactly. The design of it mimics old IBM mice, it's made in the 80-90s and it's a classic mouse with a ball. The internal x-y sensors are optical.

EdmondDantes wrote:

Yeah, I meant optical ones. Sorry I forgot to specify that in the thread title.

I don't like ball mice so I tend to forget they exist.

Using my old IBMs with era-correct mice, I'm starting to remember how annoying ball mice could get. Small movements are inaccurate, fast movements are too because the ball often lacks the grip to spin the dials inside at the right speed so you get jumps in movement. I ordered a Logitech mice which used to be a favorite of mine back in the 90's which I hope will improve the experience.

Looks like it's opto-mechanical, a ball mouse with optical chopper disc encoders, rather than the contact based ones.
The opto-mech were a little smoother, as there was no friction on the discs.

red_avatar wrote:

Using my old IBMs with era-correct mice, I'm starting to remember how annoying ball mice could get. Small movements are inaccurate, fast movements are too because the ball often lacks the grip to spin the dials inside at the right speed so you get jumps in movement.

It's not that bad if you keep the rollers clean of dirt they tend to accumulate.

I remember trying to clean several ball mice and they still kept having problems even when exposed to things like windex and rubbing alcohol.

Then again, part of what used to be my issue is a lot of the mice I was using were hand-me-downs since I was a kid and couldn't afford much. When I had my own money I went all optical and never looked back. At least not until I started seeing ones that looked like 8-Balls anyway, that almost tempted me just for the novelty.

With ball mice, cleaning the ball, and its contact dials are a must.
With optical mice sometimes its requires a 'mousepad' to works properly even with more modern one.
i still found that optical mice doesn't perform well on shiny surfaces, temporary workaround which i often did is use put a sheet of paper as its mousepad.