Tip Dude writes his tips on the computer using input devices. You know, like mouse, keyboard, and a graphic tablet. With increasing number of computers demanding that you BYODKM (Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse), here are Tip Dude’s top ten tips on input devices:

• Don’t Spill Coffee - The number one reason for a dead input device is a spilled drink (or in some cases, spilled breakfast cereal, or brown honey mustard sauce). If you must drink at your work station, don’t spill it on the mouse. Don’t spill it on the keyboard, either.
• Know That You Have A Choice In Input Devices - If any input devices came with your computer, know that you don’t have to use them. You could sell them on eBay or at a garage sale and buy better ones. For a mouse, you could buy a mechanical mouse, optical mouse, a trackerball, a Synaptics track pad ‘pointing device,’ or even a keyboard with an IBM TrackPoint pointer-stick with classic red sandpaper texture. The pros and cons of each type of device is beyond the scope of this tip, but Tip Dude wants to say one thing: try out the pointing device at a retail store before buying. You will find lots of input devices, including The Mighty Mouse (good for both PC and Mac), at an Apple Store near you. Yes, you can right-click with it, even though it only has one button. It’s a beautiful piece of art.
• Clean Your Mouse Ball Or Trackerball Regularly - If you choose a mechanical mouse, you will need to maintain it. Remove the mouse ball from the mouse and remove the lint from it once in a while. Scrape off the accumulated dirt inside the mouse on the sensor wheels using your fingernails. If you do this, your mouse will live a long and prosperous life, until the switch that works the button begins to fail. (If you find yourself triple-triple-triple clicking, or quadruple clicking just to open a file, you’ll need a new mouse.)
• Check Your Ergonomics - Tip Dude used to think this is all bull, until two of his friends got Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. There are a variety of devices out there that are designed to keep your hands comfortable while you type or mouse away. There are gel pads, keyboard trays, etc. Check them out and decide whether they make your typing more comfortable. Try them in a retail store, don’t just order them off of a catalogue.
• Don’t Plug And Unplug While Powered On (Unless You Have a USB Mouse) - Hardly anyone uses the old venerable PS/2 mouse anymore, but if you do have one, don’t plug and unplug it while the computer is powered on. You can kill both the computer and the mouse this way. A mouse is a PS/2 mouse if it has a round connector with a number of pins in it. It’s a USB mouse if it has a rectangular connector with four flat contacts on a little plastic piece inside.
• Don’t Buy A Wireless Keyboard - Type. Type. No, I said TYPE. TYPE!!! Okay, good, now you’re typing. This was Tip Dude’s experience with a Microsoft Wireless Keyboard back in 2002 or so. Technology might have improved since then, but just ask yourself: Why would you want to buy a keyboard that needs batteries if you can get one that doesn’t? If you need to type in bed, get a laptop. Or get a long USB cord for your USB keyboard!
• Don’t Buy A Keyboard With Too Many Keys - Once upon a time, Tip Dude worked for a small company that bought “consumer” version of computers for office use. This Compaq keyboard had like a “target” button on the top in the middle, a “play” button, and an “email” button. One time, Tip Dude rested a big thick reference book on the keyboard and all of a sudden the PC went berserk. MusicMatch opened and started playing some punk rock. Outlook opened 20 copies and all are asking Tip Dude for his password. The Windows Start menu keeps on popping up. Tip Dude freaked out and had to get the boss to help with trying to stop the computer from crashing and losing all his work. The moral? Don’t buy a keyboard with extraneous buttons, especially not the Windows key. The Windows key does nothing useful, since you can open the Start Menu just by pressing Ctrl+Esc. Or just use your mouse and click on it!
• Throw Out Dead Mice (Mouses?) - There is nothing more annoying than repeatedly plugging and unplugging a mouse to find a live one. If a mouse is dead, throw it away. They’re cheap. It’s not worth the aggrevation. Oh, and to prevent zapping your mouse with static electricity in the winter; touch the metal desk or something else metal before you begin using your computer after you have wandered around the home or office.
• Buy Only Powered USB Hubs - If you need an USB hub, get the more expensive ones that come with a power supply. The cheap ones will work for input devices, but wouldn’t be able to power anything more substantial like a USB flash drive. The powered ones are more expensive, but also are usually better made. The flimsy ones break open if you unplug a device the wrong way. USB hubs tend to get a lot of abuse, so it’s worth investing in one that would take at least some level of abuse. Elkin is a brand that Tip Dude sometimes uses.
• Unplug And Turn It Upside Down If You Spill Liquid - Tip Dude left this one till last, because it’s better just not to spill in the first place. But if you do spill coffee on your keyboard or your laptop, immediately - within 20 seconds - unplug it (in the case of the laptop, remove the battery also), and turn it upside down to drain. While it is draining, use a napkin or something to dab and suck the liquid out from under the keyboard. Insert the napkin between keys to get at any pesky liquid hiding in there. Let it drain for a long time (48 to 60 hours is ideal). If you want, take it apart and see if it is still wet in the crevices. When you’re convinced that it is all dried out, turn it back on and see if it still works. You might just get lucky. Generally, if you spill drinks on a keyboard, it’s time for a new one. Laptops you can usually save, but only after replacing the keyboard. There is one exception, however: Apple’s MacBook (the black ones and the white ones, not the silvery MacBook Pro) are designed with a spill-resistant keyboard. So you might want to check that out if you eat and drink at your computer all the time, and have been known to spill full cups of tea into the keyboard. Tip Dude should know, he did that once. Tip Dude’s sister did it too, twice. And don’t even ask how many times Tip Diva has done it!

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