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Working on the laptop all day, I want a word for when my cursor (pointer) just keeps going on its own even though my hand is nowhere close to the laptop mouse controls. Profanity is fine!

Note that I have only witnessed this phenomenon when using the native mousepad or mouse control button on a laptop. If I plugged in a regular usb mouse this wouldn't happen. I have not noticed this on tablets yet. But I have had at least 20 laptops and happened with all of them.

Usage: Coworker - "What is taking so long?" Me - "F*cking mouse thing, wait a minute."

Would like to have a phrase to replace "F*cking mouse thing."

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    Check your USB ports for extra wireless receivers. The most common cause of this problem is coworker pranking.
    – B. Szonye
    Commented Sep 11, 2013 at 19:55
  • For my laptop it is when I am hitting a direction on it for too long. It then continues in that direction until it is done.
    – RyeɃreḁd
    Commented Sep 11, 2013 at 19:57
  • 3
    Digital drift? Arrow anomaly? Marker madness? Pointer paradoxity?
    – bib
    Commented Sep 11, 2013 at 20:00
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    Since you are that easy, I moved them to answers.
    – bib
    Commented Sep 11, 2013 at 20:03
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    PEBCAK maybe. Have you been degaussed lately?
    – Canis Lupus
    Commented Sep 11, 2013 at 20:35

5 Answers 5

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Your cursor is malfunctioning. That's the term I ususally use to describe hardware or software not working correctly.

You could also say it is going haywire, which is a little bit more slang and has a stronger connotation of wild movement that is unexpected. I would recommend this personally for erratic movements that are inexplicable.

As for profanity? Too many to list.

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  • Haywire is a good word but I would like a phrase to convey it. Right now I call it the "F*cking mouse thing".
    – RyeɃreḁd
    Commented Sep 11, 2013 at 19:53
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    Erratic movement? Uncontrolled Spasms? Autonomous Mouse Motion? (You did say it happens when you aren't even touching it, after all). You've got a plethora of phrases to choose from.
    – Zibbobz
    Commented Sep 11, 2013 at 19:57
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    @RyeBread I have heard "on the fritz" used for that exact situation, as in: "My mouse/cursor is on the fritz."
    – called2voyage
    Commented Sep 11, 2013 at 20:04
  • That would also definitely work.
    – Zibbobz
    Commented Sep 11, 2013 at 20:06
  • Haywire is a good word, but going haywire is a good phrase. Just a thought.
    – J.R.
    Commented Sep 11, 2013 at 23:52
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You might say your mouse has gone feral (“Wild, untamed, especially of domesticated animals having returned to the wild”).

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Digital drift? Arrow anomaly? Marker madness? Pointer paradoxity? Indicator angst?

SUPPLEMENT

Twitchy rodent? Meandering Mickey? Rogue rat?

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0

Your mouse is bewitched, possessed. It is sleepwalking. (Sorry, no invectives.)

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    Your cursor has emancipated itself?
    – Talia Ford
    Commented Sep 11, 2013 at 20:33
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I like to use: "My vermin has gone rabid"

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