The
mousepad is a
high precision piece of
equipment which was overlooked by the majority of
computer users, but now thanks to
public awareness compaigns, more and more
people, especially
gamers, have come to appreciate
our friend the mousepad. However, a large number of
ignorant savages still remain unawares of the vital importance of the
mousepad. I mean
Damnit Jim, I'm a Doctor not a Mousepad. So
for the greater good of mankind I will
benevolently enlighten ye of lesser intellect.
What makes a good mousepad? Here is the
by no means definitive list:
Size - each side should be at least 25 cm long. Too small and you run out of real estate. Running poor Mickey out of his mouse pad is just not good, even if Walt Disney was an anti-Semite.
Thickness - should be thin enough to be able to comfortably hold - or have sloped edges, but not thin enough to feel the junk on your table.
Stiffness - stiff enough to lie flat and not simply flop over.
Underside with grip - usually a rubbery underside suits best, to stop your mousepad from sliding with your mouse. Many a potentially good mousepad has been ruined because of this.
Textured mousing surface - beats a flat one anyday. The texture should feel something like those pokemon trading cards - mmmm smooth.
Well put together - the surface on some reasonably good mousepads (like the 3com Precise Mousing Surface, tend to peel after a few months. This is bad. You don't normally get this with thicker mousepads.
See also everglide.
For the record I have some weirdass German mousepad titled "ATLAS HANNOVER Baumaschinen" which a friend brought over from Germany. It defies the very laws of mousepad logic in the fact that it's a company mousepad - notorious for their dodgyness - and its so good its like a cheap everglide. This I proclaim to be good. Must be a message from the gods.
Kudos to you, ATLAS HANNOVER Baumschinen.