What's the lifespan of the average mouse?

[steamthief]

In this case, not the rodent, but the corded optical mouse. Mine only works intermittently, and it's only a couple years old. F Labtec.

[MJ5150]

I have had my Cordless TrackMan Wheel from Logitech since 2005. Zero problems thus far.

-Mike

[Staccato]

Older mice require a certain amount of 'ball' cleaning, is dirt a possible factor w/ optical mice?

Logitech makes a very good optical mouse, if you are going shopping...

[fingertap]

I bought one of the first no-brand optical mice for US $5 back in 1999.
Spilled beer on it once around 2001. It stopped working.
Took it apart and cleaned it, just washed it and let it dry, put it back together and it has been working ever since.

Others I have had need periodic cleaning to remove dirt and cat hair. Maybe once every two years.
The biggest problem I have had is with the connecting cords where they enter the mouse fraying.
Shoe-goo takes care of that. It looks ugly, though, and I would never expose a client to it, but for office/home use, no problem.

You might consider if when it does not work, is it in direct sunlight?
I have several that were affected adversely by direct sunlight.
It was a difficult intermittent problem to identify initially.


~

[chicago_mike]

Using an old microsoft optical mouse, its well worn but still going.

[Sonic_Death]

Originally Posted by chicago_mike

Using an old microsoft optical mouse, its well worn but still going.

+1

I've had my microsoft optical wheel mouse for at least 8-10 years now and it works perfectly (although it has acquired some impressive hand stains in those years).

Who needs all those extra buttons and whatnot of newfangled mice.

[codeinedreams]

well since I already clicked on the thread thinking it was about rodents, mice live about 2-3 years -unless you fed them to snakes like I used to do

[MadMan118]

I don't get attached to my mice like a lot of folks do. They last me about 2 years tops. Then i buy 5 or 6 more.

[embellisher]

I've had my trusty old Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer for at least 8 or 9 years now.

The wheel has been chewed by my deceased pet cockatoo (RIP, Bind i) and it occasionally 'jumps' and freaks out, but it is still going strong. Best mouse that I have ever had!

When it dies, it will be replaced with the latest version. When I first started getting into Linux, one of the most important things to me was getting the extra buttons working on the mouse. Once you get used to having browser back and forward buttons on your mouse, you can't live without them!

If all of Microsoft's products were designed as well as this mouse, they would be everybody's favorite software company.

[TOOL460002]

ive got a corded logitech i got in 2002 that still works perfectly. ive got a wireless logitech from maybe 2006 or 7 that still works, and i picked up another logitech recently because i needed a third mouse. buy a logitech. ive never had to use it, but ive heard they also have excellent warranty/customer support.

[jrthebassguy]

They haven't made ball mice (other than track balls, which aren't the same thing) in a few years - isn't "optical" a bit redundant now when referring to mice?