The old saying goes:
You don't miss it
until it's gone
It all started when I got totally fed up with the rubber roller ball in my mouse giving me fits all the time. I use the optical mouse on the new G4s in my computer lab at James Madison U, and have become quite fond of it's quick, smooth and reliable accuracy.
In the fall I had purchased a Kensington "Mouse In A Box" for my daughter's new iBook, and briefly enjoyed it before she whisked it off to college. I had to have one. Before I could use an optical mouse however, I would need a USB slot for this old box. Off I went, visiting numerous web sites in search of USB cards for my trusty beige monster.
Everywhere I went there were conflicting reports. I asked around the group, and my brother pointed me to Sonnet's Tango card (at right, or click for a closer look). He had just finished installing one in another member's machine, and his report was all thumbs up.
If you've read any of my Mug columns over the past dozen years, you'll know I can talk a good thread, but when it comes time to actually stick my hands into the machine, I'm a bit squeamish. The guy at Sonnet said "it's a piece of cake, Fred, my kids can do it."
When the card came in, it looked like any other Mac PCI card, and since I've upgraded memory several times, I already knew how to get the box open. I located the four empty PCI slots, unscrewed one retainer screw and removed its port cover. That was easy enough. I then nervously but firmly rocked the business end of the card down into the matching female pinned slot. There were no other wires or anything to hook up, and the card doesn't take any specialized software. After replacing the original screw into the card's holder (which fit perfectly,) I folded the component racks back into their seats and closed the box.
At this point I was feeling quite proud of myself until I realized I had no USB devices to test the card with. The sweet thing about the Sonnet Tango card is it also has two FireWire ports in addition to its two USB ports. I had gotten all dressed up, but had no party to go to. A quick call to MacWarehouse had a Kensington "Mouse In The Box" at my doorstep the next morning. I plugged it in, and voila, nothing. I unplugged it, then plugged it in again, and presto -- nothing.
I picked up the phone and called Kensington. Once I got over the shock of hearing a live human's voice at Kensington, the young lady gave me the exact link into the Version Tracker web site where I downloaded the latest Apple USB Card Support drivers. Within moments of unstuffing the utilities, and installing them -- voila -- the red light came on, and the optical mouse worked like a champ.
I knew immediately it would be a great day for this old (ahem, NEW) mouse!
Until next time, happy mousing.
Fred Showker, Editor/Publisher UG Net News
Fred Showker is co-editor of "MUG Info Manager," the User Group Network News service, and a founding Apple User Group Advisory Board (UGAB) member. He was an original founder of the User Group Forum on AppleLink Personal Edition which became America Online in 1988 ... read more
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