Do you press the MIDDLE button a lot?
@lordwarwizard (35747)
Singapore
May 26, 2008 4:38am CST
Not the middle finger but the middle button... don't go thinking lopsided, ok? :P
I am talking about the middle button of the MOUSE... the computer mouse.
If your mouse has only 2 buttons, you are out of luck. But if yours has 3 buttons, pressing the middle button on a tab in Firefox closes it. It is so convenient and that must be the button/key I use most often. Even if you don't use Firefox, you can program it to provide other functions too.
So, do you press the MIDDLE button a lot? Or you had no idea it can be so useful? Or you don't have a 3-button mouse? Or... ?
20 people like this
81 responses
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
26 May 08
Guess my hands are too big for the integrated version. :P
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
26 May 08
Geez, don't use the mouse on the laptop, it is crappy. Plug in an external mouse or something. 
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
27 May 08
It's really handy. Once you get used to it, you can't do without it. 
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
27 May 08
When you decide to change a new mouse, you can check out the 3 button version - or the 2 button one with a scroll wheel - because usually you can depress the scroller and that is your 3rd button.
2 people like this
@anonymili (3138)
•
27 May 08
The middle button on my mouse is the scroll button. It's like a little wheel and you can turn it up or down to move up or down the screen. If I press the button my mous icon turns into a little up and down arrow and I can just move my mouse to go up and down the screen without touching the button. If I turn the button without pressing it, it acts as a scroll wheel - this is pretty standard here in the UK and has been for some time. I have this feature on both home and office "mice" :)
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
27 May 08
It is THAT button!
Try it on the tab or on a link (to open in new tab). It should work. :)
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
27 May 08
oh my lordwarwizard I goofed so badly in my response
i am doing it over. my mouse has two buttons, not one
like I said duh! it is a digital and I love it so
much as its so easy to usesounds like the three button
would have its advantage.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
27 May 08
Hahaha Patsie, I was drinking tea and almost choked. You are bad.
So it has 2 buttons.
So it has 2 buttons. 1 person likes this
@jannijanni (866)
•
26 May 08
LOL...that'a a lot of "or's you have there =)
anyhoo, my mouse has three buttons but sadly, since i'm using internet explorer, i didn't know the middle button's function =)
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
26 May 08
Geez, you absolutely have to switch to Firefox.
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/
2 people like this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
26 May 08
I have a middle butto or wheel and I also have the left and right buttons too. I also have two arrow buttons to use also on my mouse. I only use the left and the right buttons though. I have accidentally used the other buttons by mistake though and it drives me nuts when that happens.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
26 May 08
So you have 5 buttons?
If you don't want to use all the buttons, see if you can go to control panel and disable the ones you don't want.
2 people like this
@mummymo (23706)
•
26 May 08
Well I am out of luck I guess as I only ever use my laptop these days and of course I use the built in controller so no middle button to me! It has been so long since I used the pc that i cannot even remember whether I ever used the middle button or not! xxx
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
26 May 08
Please get an external mouse! It doesn't cost much... you can get one for 5 USD perhaps, or even free.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
28 May 08
And it can also open links in new tabs.
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
30 May 08
Lol, I am sure Kamran will be elated to read your comment.
@DarkDancer (1011)
• Dayton, Ohio
27 May 08
Yes! But for me the middle button activates my cube.... ;)
2 people like this
@DarkDancer (1011)
• Dayton, Ohio
27 May 08
This desktop cube:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Te8Kh4r5tCo
I use Ubuntu Linux with compiz fusion. Some people say that the cube is only eye candy, but with the ease it provides of moving between desktops, it has turned me into a multiple desktop user.
@DarkDancer (1011)
• Dayton, Ohio
28 May 08
Oh, here's a screen shot of my cube.... ;)
http://www.mylot.com/w/image/1940527.aspx
1 person likes this
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
27 May 08
I have two buttons and the little roller in the middle that scrolls the page, and I use it a lot to scroll up an ddown the page quicker.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
27 May 08
Yes, that is the button! If you can depress the roller, you can use it as the middle button I mentioned.
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
30 May 08
It's a browser you can use to replace Internet Explorer.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
30 May 08
I don't think anything THAT serious would happen.
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
27 May 08
Nah, go MESS with it! See if you can press it. If yes, it is your middle button! 
2 people like this
@mayankbhushan (398)
• India
26 May 08
uses of middle button in mouse, It's only for scrolling. If you can scroll your page then so comfortable for us.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
26 May 08
But there is more to that for the middle button... if you choose to use it. :)
2 people like this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
28 May 08
I have both but I use the one with the two buttons and a little roller thingy. I did not know that it would close down a tab in Firefox I will have to try that sincce I use Firefox. How can you program it to provide other functions?I use mine mostly to scroll down a page which is all I thought it done. Thanks for the tips about the mouse good to learn new interesting things everyday..keeps your mind more alert.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
28 May 08
You can program it by tweaking the options in Control Panel Mouse.
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
28 May 08
I use it all the time, as I find tabs work very good and very quickly going back and forth... Here on mylot, or rather from my email notifications, I can move quickly between discussions, and can bring up a new discussion, while the "tag this discussion" page is loading on the previous tab.. But I didn't know hitting the middle button on a tab would close it! Thanks..
2 people like this
@nilzerous1 (2434)
• India
26 May 08
I used it for scrawling purpose and I do it a lot. It helps me to quickly navigate through a web page.
2 people like this
@Cajunhellcat (2073)
• United States
27 May 08
mine has the ball in the middle and yup I use it alot
2 people like this
