I’m doing occasional forays into Windows XP on my MacBookPro. A glaring omission, perhaps on my part, is figuring out how the heck to do those right mouse clicks needed to configure stuff. The control-click that works on the OS X side does not. I thought I might have to buy a 2 button mouse.
I did not find an answer in the Apple Support area (actually I never looked), I went straight to the user dicussions where I nearly always get the answer. And I did find 2 solutions by searching “right mouse click” in the Boot Camp talks- both of them downloads that give you a key combo to do the right mouse dance step.
Apple Mouse Utility is one, but it maps it to the ctrl key, which you sometimes need to do Windows stuff as it is. I opted for Input Remapper, which gives me the effect if my right pinky leaps up to hold the ENTER key before a click.
Not elegant, but free, and it works. That MacBook trackpad is nice and wide, big enough to land a 747, and I would have thought with the Intel chip lurking “inside” someone might have thought of a two button mouse. But what do I know.
There is the scary disclaimer on the Input Remapper site:
This program and the accompaning driver may well crash your computer and otherwise wreck havoc. Use it at your own peril.
I rolled the dice and yet to see peril. But Windows has been sitting there idly for 15 minutes; who knows what it is doing while I blog on my iBook?
Have you considered picking up a Mac Mighty Mouse, Alan? It’s a bit pricey as far as USB mice go (50 bucks), but it has the left and right click AND a scroll wheel 🙂
There are much cheaper two button mice, but at least you’d be using an Apple product instead of a rather ugly PC compatible mouse 🙂
Didn’t the MBP come with a Mighty Mouse? If not, definitely pick one up. By FAR the best mouse I’ve ever used – and I swore by my Microsoft 5-button Intellimouse.
I have taken to traveling with my Logitech USB mouse. Right click is very important in Second Life 🙂 and Intel Dual Core runing Win XP is the best way to rezz quickly.
Not everything in Win XP is a step backwards in sophistication. 🙂
Thanks, commenteers, I know an external mouse is on the horizona, as the key-press click option is not very fluid. I resist only because I am a simple hound, and loathe one more corded thing tyo lug in the computer bag. A mighty mouse it will probably be, maybe not the mouse that roared, but one that may have me flying through those xp-elciious menus.
Anf Gardner aims a hard shot to my backhand…. will I return the volley? Will I say something snide about all those reminder pop up warnings in the task bar that refuse to die andchime up and over the annoying trumpet music?
No, I will not do that, aty all….
Can’t be any snarkier than the new Apple commercial with the Bill Gates lookalike. 🙂
Y’know, I think there’s room in the world for both platforms, but I understand that neither platform (I mean the companies, not the users) believes this. I wish I could get comfortable with the fact that “that’s just the way it is.” Hope springs eternal.