SteerMouse 5.7
SteerMouse is a utility that lets you freely customize buttons, wheels and cursor speed. Both USB and Bluetooth mice are supported.
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You can assign a function to combinations of a button and modifier keys ( command shift option control ). In addition to it, you can assign a function to combinations of buttons. Your mouse will have unlimited potential.
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System Settings only allows adjustment for the Tracking Speed. SteerMouse allows adjustment of the Sensitivity on top of that. By adjusting both values, you can move the cursor just like you move your hand.
Via John Gruber:
I’ve been using and wholeheartedly recommending SteerMouse for nearly 20 years.
It’s also the case that even with a third-party mouse, you might not want any third-party driver software at all. MacOS’s built-in mouse software recognizes most mice. I rely on SteerMouse not because my mouse has lots of buttons (it doesn’t), but to get fine-grained control over the speed and acceleration of the pointer. SteerMouse lets me set my mouse to go way, way faster than the built-in Mouse panel in Settings does — something I’ve done for decades to reduce wrist fatigue and pain. I can move my pointer from corner to corner across my Studio Display by moving my mouse just a few centimeters.
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I too use SteerMouse, but I miss the older versions that used a kernel extension. That's because now that SteerMouse exists entirely in user land, there's a number of cases where it doesn't quite work properly. Sometimes after logging in, it takes several seconds for it to launch and kick in. It no longer works on the login screen. Every time I switch users there's glitchiness where macOS will take over the mouse again and then SteerMouse will take over a few seconds later. It's another area where it feels like what came to replace an older macOS feature (kernel extensions) just isn't as good as what came before it.
I'm going to have to look at this.
This week, my mouse started freezing randomly for about 5 seconds at a time. The system was otherwise responsive. This comes, in a huge confidence, shortly after an update to Logitech's software that includes AI features. Removing Logitech's software fixed the freezing and I'm evaluating third party options, starting with Better Mouse which had a free trial and some recommendations.
Related to what Bri mentioned, Better Mouse seems to work similarly with user switching, and I haven't been able to get scrolling to where I'm 100% happy. Since this one had a free trial as well I'm sure I'll give it a shot.
Disappopinting that I will never find out how awesome those AI mouse features are.
I also have been using this for years. Originally this was so I could get rig of the garbage Logitech gaming mouse software. Unlike Logitech's driver, SteerMouse allows you to customize the buttons to do absolutely anything, and isn't bloated. Lately I went back to using a trackball, an Elecom Huge. SteerMouse's ability to tweak sensitivity and acceleration with fine control made the trackball usable. Without it I could not get the movement precise enough at low acceleration, or fast enough at higher acceleration.
