drunk mouse syndrome

drunk mouse syndrome
 n.

   (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 pad 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.
    

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}]