Desktop users: Do you use a USB computer mouse? Not sure? Refer to this handy chart:

PS/2 & USB connectors

Great. For those of you that do use a mouse with a USB connector, do yourself a favor by following this easy tip.

1. Get a hold of a mouse with a PS/2-style connector
2. Connect it to the back of your computer
3. Leave it there, hidden away
4. Forget it ever existed

But Mike, what’s the point?!

Trust me, citizen of the internet age, the day will come when your USB mouse will break, or be badly needed elsewhere. When that happens, there is will be a 99% chance that you will have a very important document open for which you haven’t saved changes, a program running that you need to finish using, or a similar computer task which you won’t be able to figure out how to use the keyboard to do what needs to be done.

Why is that a problem? Unlike USB devices, you can’t just plug in a PS/2 mouse & expect it to work; rather: you can expect it not to. That’s what it does. Your computer needs a restart to figure out old-school devices like that.

Some day, you’ll be so happy you did this.