Move the mouse across the screen (Weird Web October)

I've been a fan and follower of Weird Web October ever since it started a couple of years go (and obviously I'm a fan of keeping the Internet fun and weird). But this is the first year in which I've actively participated in it.

This, my first contribution to Weird Web October 2026, targets day/prompt 8: skeuomorphism.

I found myself thinking about all of the examples of skeuomorphism in our computer user interface metaphors: radio buttons, toggle switches, drawers, tabs, etc. Then I realised that one of the most-common user interface metaphors : the computer "mouse" is not skeuomorphic1 But what if they were? How far would we carry the metaphor? Onto our screens, with "mouse" cursors2? Perhaps.

Icon of Dan programming on a laptop in front of a literal 'mouse' running across the words 'move the mouse across the screen'. Via a speech bubble, the mouse is saying 'fucking skeumorphism'.
Alt

Icon of Dan programming on a laptop in front of a literal 'mouse' running across the words 'move the mouse across the screen'. Via a speech bubble, the mouse is saying 'fucking skeumorphism'.

You can try it for yourself at danq.me/mouse.

I really enjoyed this bit of silliness.

Speaking of silliness on my newly-reskinned website, there's a few other silly curiosities nestled among my /slashpages. If you've a sense of humour that appreciates a little nonsense, you might like to take an explore.

Footnotes

1 Except, perhaps, if you've always used one of those novelty computer mice that are shaped like an actual mouse, I suppose.

2 At about this point I also started thinking about wordplay and puns, and... well, you'll see.

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