I've been using Windows for the past 20 years, but I've recently installed Debian 12 with the Cinnamon desktop on a second computer. I got a KVM switch before making the full switch over. However, the mouse responsiveness feels off—it's like my hand is moving through jello or sand, and I can't really explain it. It's not just about cursor speed; there's something else making it feel different from Windows. I've been switching back and forth between the two systems for about 20 minutes now, trying to figure out what's different. Has anyone experienced something similar? Thanks!
4 Answers
You might be experiencing mouse acceleration, which makes your pointer travel further when you move the mouse quickly. It can feel really different compared to Windows. Check your mouse settings on Debian—there's usually a setting for it. Try flipping that on or off to see if it feels better!
Sounds like you might be dealing with what's called 'Windows Enhanced Pointer Precision'. It can be tricky, especially in FPS games, because it affects how your mouse behaves. You might want to see if you can disable something similar in your settings, though I'm not sure how it translates to Debian. Google the term and see what comes up for Linux!
If you're still feeling that weird responsiveness, try connecting the mouse directly to your Linux PC instead of through the KVM. You may also want to look into mouse acceleration settings like in this [Linux Mint forum post](https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=300667). It’s possible you’ve got some settings that need tweaking!
Right, and if that doesn't help, maybe look into configuring the acceleration curve itself for a smoother experience.
On Debian with Cinnamon, check your mouse and touchpad settings for acceleration options. You can adjust that or enable adaptive pointer acceleration to see if it helps. It might give you a more familiar feel compared to what you're used to in Windows!
Yeah, the differences can be wild! I definitely felt like the mouse was slipping when I switched from Mac to Windows!