[ubuntu-uk] Looking towards Unity in 2012... but concerned

[Grant Sewell]

On Wed, 18 May 2011 17:41:47 +0100
Alex Cockell wrote:

> Umm - there's this talk about "middle-clicking".  What is this
> "middle-clicking" you talk about?
> 
> I use Saitek notebook mice... I see two buttons, and a mousewheel.  On
> my Ideapad, I see two buttons under the trackpad.
> 
> I understand left-clicking.. I understand right-clicking.  
> 
> Granted, I use a Citrix terminal at work, and I bought Ubuntu
> preinstalled.
> 
> I've heard talk of having to press both mouse buttons down
> together.... why do Canonical have to confuse things?
> 
> OK - granted, I am more of a basic user of Ubuntu, and use Windows at
> work; and I came to Linux as I did NOT want to go with Vista...

Historically Unix and Unix-like computers that ran X (the underlying
graphical system) had 3-button mice - which enabled you to left-,
middle- or right-click.

When a button is clicked it causes an "event".  Today's mice can
generate 5 or more "events":
 - Left clicking
 - Right clicking
 - Scrolling up
 - Scrolling down
 - Pressing down the scroll wheel without actually scrolling

That final event is what is typically considered to be a "middle-click"
today.

Hope that helps.

Grant.