'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe

Logitech spins 'revolutionary' free-wheeling mouse

Mouse maker Logitech today introduced its first input device with a freely-rotating scroll wheel, aiming the system at gamers looking for fast weapon changes and Microsoft Office users who need to be able to whizz through long documents...

But flip a switch on each laser-guided gadget's base, and the wheel runs freely. The alloy-made wheel is weighted to spin for six seconds, Logitech said...

Oddly enough, my aging Intellimouse Explorer has a similar design on the wheel. It requires very little pressure to spin and doesn't so much click as gently bump. And you can set it spinning for about half a second.

It's a lot better designed than the current version, which has a heavily damped wheel that doesn't click at all. Which, while it may be nice, is hopeless for trying to change weapons in Unreal Tournament.

Plus it fits my hand nicely, and has drivers that actually work.

Say what you like about Microsoft, they know how to make mice.