Ask HN: Why aren't programmable mice popular?

2 points by robertn702 2 years ago | 5 comments

I've gone down the rabbit hole of split and customized keyboards over the past year and I've come to appreciate optimizing my workflow by rearranging keys, using macros, etc. mostly while programming.

Recently, I've been doing more design work in Figma and I find moving my hand between the mouse and keyboard aggravating. It kind of defeats the purpose of having keyboard shortcuts if the key is on the side of your mouse hand.

This got me looking into programmable mice, but I've discovered that there really aren't many and very few are targeted towards productivity. Why does this category seem to not exist while the custom keyboard space is so vibrant? I would image that there would be a niche but decent sized market for a productivity-focused programmable mouse.

Maybe I am using the wrong search terms, or is the demand for this type of product really that small?

syndicatedjelly 2 years ago |

I think you're on to something. The reason programmable mice haven't caught on (they've been tried), is that they haven't made sense in our current paradigm of computer interaction. Most productivity programs revolve around the keyboard still, for better or worse. Since mice are rarely used with tablets and phones, this leaves them to be exclusively used with desktops and laptops, which usually lack a touch component to their screens (once again, something that was tried and didn't catch on). When an ergonomic keyboard offers dozens of quickly accessible keys to all 10 fingers, why would one locate a button on an oddly shaped mouse, a button accessible to only a couple fingers on one hand most likely?

That said...recent software (such as Figma) has spanned an awkward gap of trying to be equivalently usable on desktop, tablet, and phone. Maybe a programmable mouse for a device that's typically not used with a physical keyboard (tablet, phone) makes sense, and the idea hasn't been explored thoroughly.

robertn702 2 years ago | |

I definitely understand the optimization of keyboards especially for certain types of work such as programming — It's what I spend 90% of my time doing. But I would argue that there are just as many use cases where a mouse is actually faster than using keyboard with shortcuts. Design work would be one of those examples, and it's not a small industry.

I guess what I feel is missing is "Keychron for mice". Keychron took the pretty niche mechanical keyboard market which was mostly targeted towards gamers or extreme optimizers and tailored it for productivity with their default macOS compatibility. I doubt the Logitech MX Mechanical keyboard would exist if Keychron didn't exist, which I take as a sign of their success.

pureheartlover 2 years ago |

Is something like the razer naga unsuitable?

From what I understand there are many gaming mice with multiple programmable buttons. The razer naga has a 12 programmable buttons which is probably used mostly in RTS games like starcraft.

https://www.google.com/search?q=razer+naga

robertn702 2 years ago | |

It might be suitable and it's on my radar along with maybe two other mice, but from my understanding Razer Synapse 3.0 isn't supported on macOS, my primary OS for productivity. I know that there is third-party software that I can use so I may end up still getting the Naga.

Using third-party software isn't that big of a deal and is not uncommon in the keyboard world. I suppose what's most surprising to me is the lack of discourse and community around on the topic.

kennethko 2 years ago |

Have you checked out mice marketed for gaming? Particularly for MMOs, you’ll find a few 10+ button mice. I’ve been a happy user of Logitech’s line up, for what it’s worth.