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The Mouse in Your House: Laser or Optical?
Q. When I attempt to enter some sites, I have to type some weird numbers or
words that appear in a box. The letters and numbers are so difficult to read,
it usually takes me about three attempts before I get it right. I know it’s for
security, but how does typing in those numbers actually help anything?
A. Those characters appear as an image, rather than plain text, in order to
prevent what are called spambots (robotic programs), using a computer script,
from copying and pasting those characters into the fill-in form. The numbers are
distorted to prevent optical-character recognition software from reading them.
Only the human eye can decipher the characters, thus ensuring that the site or
service is only accessed by human beans (homosapiens legumous), not robotic
programs.
Some sites offer an audio link that “speaks” the characters, which can then be
typed into the form. The theory is the same, though, that only humans will be
able to listen to the audio and type in the numbers correctly.
Q. I was mouse shopping the other day and looked at both a laser mouse and an
optical mouse. I bought the laser mouse, but now I’m not sure if I bought the
right thing, so I’m turning to you, Mr. M: What’s the difference between an
optical mouse and a laser mouse, and is one better than the other?
A. The difference between an optical mouse and a laser mouse is the light used
to track movement. An optical mouse uses an LED (light-emitting diode), while a
laser mouse uses a -- care to venture a guess? That’s right, a laser. The more
dots per inch (dpi) a mouse can track, the more sensitive and accurate it is. A
typical optical mouse tracks between 400 and 800 dpi, while laser mice track
more than 2,000 dpi.
Neither is really better; it all depends on your needs and preferences. Unless
you're a gamer or a graphic artist with a need for super-precise movement,
you'll probably find a 2,000 dpi laser mouse overly sensitive, but that’s the
primary difference. An optical mouse would have served your purposes very well,
but you didn't purchase the "wrong" mouse unless you find its sensitivity to be
excessive. Many gaming mice (lasers) allow sensitivity adjustments so you can
have precision when you need it, but can revert to 400 dpi or 800 dpi for
regular mousing activities. Check the documentation or Help files in conjunction
with your laser mouse to determine if you have that capability.
Besides tracking speeds, laser mice work on nearly every surface, where optical
mice may occasionally experience difficulty tracking on black or shiny surfaces.
I use an optical mouse, but have never had a problem using it on any surface.
Mr. Modem’s DME (Don’t Miss ‘Em) Sites of the Month
Eli Stein Cartoons
For more than 50 years, Eli Stein cartoons have graced the pages of many
prestigious publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The National Law
Journal, Barron’s, Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, The Saturday
Evening Post, King Features Syndicate, Modern Maturity, National Enquirer,
Woman’s World, and National Review, just to name-drop a few. Cartoons are
categorized by decade (beginning in the 1950’s), publication or topic. And if
the brilliance of his cartoons isn’t enough, Mr. Stein’s insightful, humorous
comments and recollections accompany many of his works.
www.elisteincartoons.com
OR Live
This site was launched approximately eight years ago as a way for physicians and
surgeons to bone up on new techniques by logging on to watch their peers perform
various surgeries. Recently, the site has been attracting many patients who,
understandably, are also curious about procedures. Categories of surgeries
include Cardiovascular, OB-GYN, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, and other specialties.
Most videos require RealPlayer, but you’ll be prompted if your system is lacking
the necessary program to view a given procedure.
www.or-live.com
Pets on the Go
Do you like to travel with your pet? If so, this site is the definitive guide
for information and links to more than 30,000 pet-friendly hotels, inns, B&Bs,
and private rentals. The “Tips for Trips” section provides some great
information if you’re planning to fly with Fido, cruise with Kitty, or surf with
Sushi. (Okay, okay, I couldn’t think of anything else.)
http://petsonthego.com
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