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.

