drunk mouse syndrome

(Also "mouse on drugs") A malady exhibited by the mouse

pointing device of some computers. The typical symptom is for

the mouse cursor on the screen to move in random directions

and not in sync with the motion of the actual mouse. Can

usually be corrected by unplugging the mouse and plugging it

back again. Another recommended fix for optical mice is to

rotate your mouse mat 90 degrees.

At Xerox PARC in the 1970s, most people kept a can of copier

cleaner (isopropyl alcohol) at their desks. When the steel

ball on the mouse had picked up enough cruft to be unreliable,

the mouse was doused in cleaner, which restored it for a

while. However, this operation left a fine residue that

accelerated the accumulation of cruft, so the dousings became

more and more frequent. Finally, the mouse was declared

"alcoholic" and sent to the clinic to be dried out in a CFC

ultrasonic bath.

[Jargon File]