Can someone help me understand why is this useful and when to use it?
$( \"#sortable\" ).disableSelection();
Caveat emptor: .disableSelection() is actually harmful on some browsers, as it prevents clicking active elements (e.g. textareas) inside the sortable.
.disableSelection() prevents clicking on embedded textarea; doesn't seem to have any effect otherwise (i.e. it is still impossible to select text with the mouse in the sortable if omitted).disableSelection() seems to have no effect whatsoever.