Comment by two_handfuls
Comment by two_handfuls 2 days ago
I wonder whether this could be a touchpad malfunction, causing phantom clicks that move focus. To diagnose, you could temporarily disable it and use an external mouse.
Comment by two_handfuls 2 days ago
I wonder whether this could be a touchpad malfunction, causing phantom clicks that move focus. To diagnose, you could temporarily disable it and use an external mouse.
But was the touchpad disabled at the time? Phantom touches could happen even if your hand is not near the touchpad.
Yes, there is a very large amount of software that's involved in making touchpads work and that software is part of the OS.
Trackpad malfunction may be hardware, or it may be software, but in either case it more clearly specified the issue than simply "software bug".
I once had a vexing problem with my old Intel MacBook — macOS failed to boot, but Windows seemed totally normal. Can't possibly be a hardware failure, right? The symptoms disappeared after replacing the SATA cable!
This reminds of the infamous GPU issues of the unibody models (the last non-retina ones). I have one such 2012 15" MBP which has a dedicated GPU which, as I understand it, has developed soldering issues.
Non-Mac OSs don't know how to turn this GPU on out of the box, so it just sits there without bothering anybody. But, for some reason, MacOS turns it on and it craps the bed, rendering the machine unusable.
It's not, it's just increasingly badly made. Started creeping in the release before Sequoia
Depends on the mice. As a sibling says, Logitech mice with their drivers work great. The app isn't great and loads a boatload of javascript crap. Can't vouch for bettermouse, never tried it.
Another option which sidesteps the Logi Options crap is Logitech "gaming" mice. These have an integrated memory that actually remembers the configuration set by the driver. So, you only have to put up with the shitty experience once, and then the mouse remembers those settings wherever you use it. Some models can actually remember multiple setting sets.
One of my best mice is a G700s. I haven't used the Logitech G crap in like... ten years? The mouse is still going strong. Its only issue is that it goes through batteries like a hot knife through butter. I like it so much, I actually bought a second one for work. Got it used, since they weren't making them anymore.
> Logitech mice with their drivers work great.
That's not macos fault in this case, it's just that Logitech mouses (MX Master at least) doesn't act well at all without driver. Like, for scrolling, it's like the mouse is sending raw smooth scrolling each time you just touch the wheel and without the driver that presumably fake it on the computer side, there is no synchronisation between your actual scroll and the steps you physically feel in the wheel.
The window losing focus but OP reports is due to this:
https://support.logi.com/hc/en-us/articles/37493733117847-Op...
Which would only happen if you are using it wireless.
It happened to me this morning.
Not sure why this is getting downvotes, it's absolutely true. For a very long time you couldn't even set different scroll directions for external mice and the touchpad - even if it's (maybe? I forget) supported now it's always been an area Apple didn't care about and was far behind Windows and Linux.
I assume it’s getting down votes because it’s off-topic. The parent comment was suggesting external mice as a temporary measure to debug the intermittent issue they’re facing.
Whether or not external micr suck on MacOS doesn’t really matter. The objective was to diagnose an issue.
Recent switcher to macos. I can't find a way to separately set mouse acceleration and scroll wheel momentum.
I use a trackball for RSI reasons, in order to get across the screen in a single flick means high sensitivity, mouse acceleration is absolutely needed to be able to make small movements. This makes my scroll wheel useless because a single scroll moves the page about 1/10 of a line
I will pile on here and claim Apple is shockingly hostile to accessibility. From the weird way tabs work for focus to the limited options for text clarity, to the lack of control for mice customization, it feels like it has been a low item on their priorities for some time.
I cant use mice without https://linearmouse.app to adjust acceleration. (0$)
That was my experience as well. macOS adopted the iOS UI pattern of list cells using a swipe gesture to show a delete button and other actions. This doesn’t work with mouse and you have to use the right click context menu. This is a constant annoyance when switching between the Mac with an external mouse and the one with a trackpad, as it breaks your muscle memory.
Oh is that supported now? I've always used some tool (ScrollReverser) to fix this.
i have a logitech mx something and it's absolutely awesome.
I loved my Performance MX. I finally had to replace it at work (software wouldn't install after migrating to Windows 11) and the MX Master 3 I got seems much ergonomically worse to me. I also am not a fan of the thumb wheel replacing buttons. Only thing I won't complain about is that the resolution is better. From testing my coworkers' mouses (older Masters) I'm pretty sure they have each been a step downhill from my perspective.
My sister in law gave me her G700S to fix the main button microswitches, and she convinced me that it's the apotheosis of the design - it's what should have replaced the Performance MX. No soft-touch plastic, extra buttons, and the higher resolution sensor. I'll probably have to get one off eBay.
Edit: also all of the Masters have non-user-replaceable batteries.
But the battery only lasts a day or two. The G604 is almost as nice, but battery lasts weeks. But it will likewise need switch replacements before long and is likewise no longer made. None of Logitech's current mice fill the same niche. Why do they discontinue their most popular mice without replacing them? Who can say. I'm pretty confident a direct 700/604 replacement with better switches would sell well.
It's not really an Apple tax. Those are just great mice, and I've used variations of them on Linux for more than a decade.
(except that my latest one has just suffered catastrophic battery failure)
the steermouse g502 combo is just incredible. been my staple for years
I've had the same issue while using external mouse and keyboard, so I definitely don't touch the touchpad.