On 19.08.2011, at 01:19, Geoffrey Heard wrote:

> You're back on X.6.8.  I'm thinking of moving back to X.6.7. Since going to X.6.8 I've had a number of instances where my mouse has stopped working. I can reactivate it by unplugging it then plugging it back in or by doing a click with the trackpad.

You know what Geoff, I’m having exactly the same issue with my mouse under 10.6.8! I attributed it to my cheap Chinese mouse, good to know that I am not the only one who is frustrated because of this. It happens daily once or twice.

> 
> I'm keeping a close watch on it to see whether a particular combination of apps is involved.

I have the hunch that it occurs after heavy downloading and when working with many open applications at the same time with downloading in the background.


>> 
>> The trick is to use *both* mouse and the trackpad (on MacBooks.) I bought a no-name mouse produced in China last year for 6 Euro and that's the best mouse I have ever used!!!  It has three years guarantee and inside the package there is an address in the U.S.A. to which I am supposed to send the mouse in case it has to be repaired. Considering the fact that it only cost 6 Euro the guarantee and the address in the U.S.A. is a real joke. :-)
> 
> When you say "produced in China " you mean, of course, just like your Mac! (Or did they find an even cheaper place?)  :)  

Yes, you are right, my Mac came from China, that’s what they told me when I called the nationwide Apple Store hotline here in Germany. The woman who answered the phone had a peculiar south German or Austrian accent so I asked her with which Apple Store in Germany I had been connected exactly. "I’m in Barcelona [in Spain]", she said! -- So buying a new Mac directly from Apple meant, in my case, ordering it from a German salesperson based in Spain who would see to that it arrived in 3 or 4 days to Europe from China. Once in Europe the different parts would be assembled in the Czech Republic or Hungary, I have forgotten which one.


> My mouse, too, is made in China and it's called "Rock". A website is offered: "rockrock.com.au".Just looked it up -- they are an Australian importer. http://rockrock.com.au/product/product.php?en=en&class1=7&class2=8&class3=27


These mini mice look familiar to me, I think I have seen them here too.


> 
> I've been using Firefox for some years now -- but they've just moved to v.4 and proudly boast that they've got an "all new" interface. Dickheads! Don't they realize that's a disincentive? In fact, I tried v.4 and found a couple of elements in the interface that I didn't like so I reverted to v.3.x.x which they continue to update, by the wayl

On MacUpdate <http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/10700/firefox> they offer v.7 (beta) for download.

Since Safari has now quite good plug-ins I stick with Safari. All these different browsers are more or less the same, it’s only the plug-ins that make the difference. I tried Firefox when I was on my old G4, it has numerous interesting add-ons, but as soon as a new Firefox version appeared many of the add-ons stopped working. The first comment on the above mentioned MacUpdate page says it all:

"I like Firefox, but it is becoming a burden to constantly update and coordinate the updating of the extensions."


Cheers,
Þorvarður