I've been coding for decades but mainly on a Windows machine. Only recently I've been delving into the world of coding under Linux and now I've run into this annoyance - my most recent project was peppered with random text because the middle button on the mouse I was using was rather sensitive - I was totally stumped until decide to google the issue and landed here.

I have never intentionally use the middle button to click anything ever, perhaps because it doesn't do anything in Windows by default. I have only ever used the middle scroll wheel to scroll. After reading a few of the various solutions on the web and in this thread, I've decided on a simpler solution.

Here it is:

1. Unplug the mouse from the USB port.
2. Go get a #1 phillips screw driver and a pair of electronic side-cutters
3. Look under the mouse and find the screw to open the bottom cover.
4. Remove the screw and remove the cover.
5. Find the little microswitch that is underneath the spring-loaded scroll wheel arm.
6. Use the side-cutters to crush that switch and cut off the guts of it. Try not to damage the optical wheel and sensors. Enjoy the feeling of getting your revenge for having to scan through all your code for random bits of text.
7. Clean out the debris and re-assemble the mouse.
8. Plug the mouse back into the USB port.
9. Observe the scroll wheel working. Try to click the middle mouse button - oh look, nothing happens!

Aaaahhhhh! That's much better!

I've been coding for decades but mainly on a Windows machine. Only recently I've been delving into the world of coding under Linux and now I've run into this annoyance - my most recent project was peppered with random text because the middle button on the mouse I was using was rather sensitive - I was totally stumped until decide to google the issue and landed here.

I have never intentionally used the middle button to click anything ever, perhaps because it doesn't do anything in Windows by default. I have only ever used the middle scroll wheel to scroll. After reading a few of the various solutions on the web and in this thread, I've decided on a simpler solution.

Here it is:

1. Unplug the mouse from the USB port.
2. Go get a #1 phillips screw driver and a pair of electronic side-cutters
3. Look under the mouse and find the screw to open the bottom cover.
4. Remove the screw and remove the cover.
5. Find the little microswitch that is underneath the spring-loaded scroll wheel arm.
6. Use the side-cutters to crush that switch and cut off the guts of it. Try not to damage the optical wheel and sensors. Enjoy the feeling of getting your revenge for having to scan through all your code for random bits of text.
7. Clean out the debris and re-assemble the mouse.
8. Plug the mouse back into the USB port.
9. Observe the scroll wheel working. Try to click the middle mouse button - oh look, nothing happens!

Aaaahhhhh! That's much better!

p.s. You can use this opportunity to clean out all the crud that builds up inside your mouse - your mouse will perform so much better now!