bobmon@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (RAMontante) (06/13/91)
I'm thinking about getting a trackball (occasional use for a pointing device, limited deskspace), but I don't really know what's available. Can anyone make recommendations or comparisons of the current offerings? Are there any magazine reviews I should dig up? thanks in advance, -bob,mon.
sorrow@oak.circa.ufl.edu (06/13/91)
Once again I'm going to plug Logitech (I SWEAR, I'm not affiliated with these guys!). Actually, it's not just Logitech. Any maker of a trackball that can be used with only a thumb has my vote. The Kengsington and other track balls that I have seen aren't impressive because it feels more like you are playing Centipede than getting work done. You move the ball with your palm, which is what you do with a mouse. However, with a mouse the buttons are always under your fingers, whereas the ball causes you to shift positions. The TrackMan uses a thumb roller, which means your hand stays stationary. It feels nice for a trackball, and I know that one CAD department at an energy company I used to work switched over to it since it didn't take up that much room and they considered it superior to mice. Brian /* Brian Hook -- MS-DOS Programmer for Contract ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Seamus, that's my dog...I saw her today at the reception...sorry, sixTEEN inches....better save the women and children first...but this one goes to 11! ..anymore of that plutonium nyborg?....there can be only ONE!....like a finger pointing to the moon....ease the seat back...one day closer to death */
goldberg@iastate.edu (Adam Goldberg) (06/14/91)
In <0094A0E7.0A4412A0@MAPLE.CIRCA.UFL.EDU> sorrow@oak.circa.ufl.edu writes: >Actually, it's not just Logitech. Any maker of a trackball that can be used >with only a thumb has my vote. The Kengsington and other track balls that I >The TrackMan uses a thumb roller, which means your hand stays stationary. It >feels nice for a trackball, and I know that one CAD department at an energy >company I used to work switched over to it since it didn't take up that much >room and they considered it superior to mice. I've yet to see a thumb roller that I liked. It's a good idea, granted, but somehow they don't quite have the "feel". I prefer a larger, heavier ball with more resolution. I found the TrackMan hard to use because I was frequently spending too long trying to get the mouse positioned properly to perform some function. I prefer Kensington Systems' Professional Mouse (or something like that, I don't have it right at my side just now). It's got a larger, heavier ball which is easier for me to use. The buttons aren't right under your fingers, but they are just to each side of the ball, and aren't inconvenient to use. -- Adam Goldberg ! "It's simple! Even a PASCAL programmer could do goldberg@iastate.edu ! it!" tabu6@isuvax.BITNET ! "Remember: the sooner you fall behind, the #include <disclaimer> ! more time you have to catch up!"
chaz@chinet.chi.il.us (Charlie Kestner) (06/14/91)
Get Logitiech's TrackMan. ALL the others out there are clumsy compard to this one. The above statement stands for righties. Lefties might hate the Logitech unit, since it really IS only convenient for righties.
dlow@pollux.svale.hp.com (Danny Low) (06/15/91)
>I'm thinking about getting a trackball (occasional use for a pointing >device, limited deskspace), but I don't really know what's available. >Can anyone make recommendations or comparisons of the current offerings? >Are there any magazine reviews I should dig up? The Logitech Trackman and the Microspeed PC Trac are the only two trackballs worth considering. The PC Trac is suitable for lefties but the ball is large and massive. The Trackman is for rigthies only but fits smaller hands much better. Danny Low "Question Authority and the Authorities will question You" Valley of Hearts Delight, Silicon Valley HP NPCD dlow@pollux.svale.hp.com
davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (Wm E. Davidsen Jr) (06/17/91)
In article <1991Jun12.203225.4975@news.cs.indiana.edu> bobmon@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (RAMontante) writes: | I'm thinking about getting a trackball (occasional use for a pointing | device, limited deskspace), but I don't really know what's available. I have the Logitek unit (bus version) and I like it. Three button because I run X-windows, but you can ignore one. -- bill davidsen - davidsen@sixhub.uucp (uunet!crdgw1!sixhub!davidsen) sysop *IX BBS and Public Access UNIX moderator of comp.binaries.ibm.pc and 80386 mailing list "Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me