"I did a stupid thing...." Topic

I have a mouse that I bought a couple of months ago, and I don't care for it, as it's not the one that's guided by a ball, but by those pesky fibre optics. Anyway, as I was accessing my e-mail, I accidentally hit something to where my mail is no longer sorted by newest to oldest, but some other way. Is there a way I can change it back? I have Windows Vista.

Thank you.

Look at the column headings above your list of messages. Clicking on the column heading sorts on that column. You can sort either frontwards or backwards by clicking once or twice.

You probably hit one of the bars above the list of messages and told the 'puter to sort it by size or subject or something.

Just click on where it says date and it'll be alright. If it sorts in the reverse order of what you prefer, click on it again.

(Just how is your mouse to blame for this? Is the cursor moving erratically? Then you probably have cat hair where the led light is (mine usually does) – clean it away and it'll move smoother again.)

That was it, fellas! Thanks a bunch!

On the house.

Henrix, it couldn't be cat hair, since I haven't had a cat in my house for 11 years now. It's probably just me, as I'm so used to the old mouse with the roller. I just have to get used to 21st century technology.

In the meantime, I'll clean it and see how it performs then. Thanks again, fellas!

Optical mice are usually much easier to track than old ball mice.

But they can struggle on some surfaces – I have a pale wood table that has some visible grain and optical mice don't like it. A plain sheet of paper can work very well as a mouse mat, if you need one.

I have noticed the same effect with other particles than cat hair, but it's the most common occurrence here! ;-)

fred12df, the issue is almost certainly whatever the table is coated in rather than the wood grain.

The 'grain' effect on my desk has worn away to create a smooth non glossy patch of chibboard, wich works perfectly for my laser armed rodent.