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If you open IE to an HTML page with frames (e.g. javadocs), the mouse wheel will scroll the frame under the mouse, not the frame which is selected. In Eclipse, the selected frame scrolls, requiring the user to select the desired frame to use the mouse wheel. For example, if the editor is selected, but the mouse is over another view with a scroll bar (e.g. Members), the editor still scrolls. This limits the usefulness of the feature, since I have to find a place to select which doesn't change any other state, such as the java member selected in the editor. Windows isn't even entirely consistent with this (e.g. Explorer), so I can't complain too much. I've seen tools make this behavior configurable. (I'm using 2.1 M4, and Microsoft IntelliMouse.)
Moving to SWT for comment. Would it be possible to scroll the controls without setting focus to it when using this mouse?
It's probably possible but I think we'd better follow the Explorer standard here. For example, mouse wheel in the tree is handled natively in the tree so we'd have to get in the way of this and redirect WM_MOUSEWHEEL messages. I don't think we should be doing this ourselves, given that it's possible that Windows will make a policy decision for us in the future and our code would break. Sorry, but I'm going to have to mark this WONTFIX.
Can Eclipse not implement this until (if ever) Windows does make a policy decision. This behaviour is the default for Mozilla as well as IE and it does make for a much better user experience, especially since you can be regularly using three or four different panes at any given time. If you decide to leave this as WONTFIX, then this will be my last comment on the matter, but /please/ consider it again before coming to a decision.
