

Ask HN: Why did MS never add 2 mouse and pointer support in old days? - dev12345

If most pointer is like pointing with your hand, 2 pointers could have been like using your both hands. We all see advantage of multi touch now a days.
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DanBC
This can be done. Here's some links
[http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4012352/linux-dual-
mice-m...](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4012352/linux-dual-mice-
multiple-mice-with-multiple-mouse-pointers)

Using both hands is pretty tricky. I'm left handed, and it's much easier for
me to do mouse stuff with my left hand than with my right. Using both together
would mean my right hand is under moving, and my left hand would be over
moving. Working out what pointer belongs to what mouse would be tricky too.

It would be a bit like one of those "brain training" games where they display
the word RED but in a blue colour, and you have to say "Blue".

Also, multiple monitors still suck, even though they're commonly used. I can
only image how bad dual mice would suck.

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sejje
Have you tried using the mouse with your off-hand?

Not saying it's universal, but I use the mouse left-handed like I'm beyond
drunk.

Beyond that, I can't think of a very useful purpose, despite the things multi-
touch are useful for.

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dev12345
Sejje, its because you are use to of using it.

I am left handed and using mouse with my right hand from past 10 years, since
i started with a PC.

its same problem with keyboard with 2 hands. I haven't though about it till
now but just realized how proficient I am with my right hand in operating
mouse.

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Irishsteve
Maybe 5 or 6 years ago ms had a api via .net that allowed for two cursors on
the screen and two mouses obviously. The drive behind it was to make
applications for developing nations where people could share computers

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Reallynow
Or two people could work together, closer to that was envisioned by Engelbart
: [http://worrydream.com/Engelbart/](http://worrydream.com/Engelbart/)

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DerekL
The only time I've heard about two mouse pointers at the same time is the
Amiga version of the game Lemmings. It had a two-player mode with a split
screen, and each player had a mouse which would control the cursor on his side
of the screen.

