Computer Mice or Mouses?

[Ben Zimmer]

On Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 3:26 PM, Garson O'Toole wrote:
> InfoWorld - Nov 23, 1981 - Page 28
> Vol. 3, No. 27 - 72 pages - Magazine - Full view
> [Begin excerpt]
> Turtles are part of the computer-cursor-control bestiary that also
> includes mice. The turtle, frequently appearing as a triangle on the
> CRT screen, moves around the screen under orders from the user,
> drawing or erasing lines as it goes.
> [End excerpt]
>
> The gap between 1965 and 1981 suggests there is room for improvement.

Snippet view for these, but they look OK.

* "mouses"
_Proceedings of the Summer Computer Simulation Conference, Part 1_ (1973)
http://books.google.com/books?id=nHxQAAAAMAAJ&q=mouses
The following represent methods of interacting with the data base which is being
graphically displayed: (1) Joysticks, (2) Mouses, (3) Graphic Tablets, (4)
Keyboards, (5) Light Pens.

* "mice"
_Proceedings of the 1978 International Computer Music Conference: Volume 1_
(1979)
http://books.google.com/books?id=1rg5AQAAIAAJ&q=mice
These include light-pens, "joy-stick" controllers, tracker-balls, touch
sensitive panels, digitizing tablets, and mice (tracker balls mounted in a
small housing enabling them to be used much like a digitizing tablet).

--bgz

--
Ben Zimmer
http://benzimmer.com/

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