Topic: Tracking Ball Mouse
started by: editor
Posted by editor on Mar. 10 2002,02:11
Just got a tracking ball mouse from Office Depot for only 40 bux! It plugs right into my keyboard, so there's one more free port on the back of the puter!BUT;
Your thumb will take over what the many-times larger wrist used to do. Tracky-ball has been running for about 15 minutes and the thumb is getting numb... uh oh.
It takes about 20MB! of space on your HD, but when I plugged it in, Windows already had software for it. I ran the disc anyway just in case.
I turned the acceleration almost all the way down, since the pointer was bouncing all over the screen! I know I can save some thumb-wear if I left it up, but my thumb isn't that accurate yet.
I guess a month from now my thumb will be super strong and I will also be able to turn the speed up, but this is turning out harder than I guessed!
Posted by DuSTman on Mar. 10 2002,02:46
I hear trackballs are supposed to be better for beginners. My old IT teacher was telling me that they had people who had to work in twos to use a mouse (one person to move it and hold it steady, one to click) and apparently those sorts of people get the hang of trackballs much faster than standard mice.But I wouldn't bet on someone using a trackball winning a game of quake.
Seriously, though, anyone who writes a mouse driver and finds it's 20Mb big should re-evaluate the project.
Posted by editor on Mar. 10 2002,02:57
Forgot to mention your hand gets sweaty real fast too!
Posted by Vigilante on Mar. 10 2002,03:15
$40 for a usb trackball? that better have an optical sensor.I guess trackballs are okay if you're not doing anything that requires any sort of precision, like art or gaming. Still, you can pry my optical intellimouse explorer from my cold, dead hands.
Posted by editor on Mar. 10 2002,22:05
I'm happily typing this and using the old mouse that came with the computer, a day later....At least there's a cute girl at the returns counter...hope she's there when I am!
Posted by liquid metal on Mar. 11 2002,00:59
you need detnet business cards!
Posted by Spydir on Mar. 11 2002,02:28
anyone know a company that makes really nice business for dirt fucking cheap? I want some net syndrome ones 
Posted by ic0n0 on Mar. 11 2002,02:35
i do not like trackballs to much.
Posted by smartsnake on Mar. 11 2002,04:23
optical/wireless mice are pretty cool too. heh same with wireless keyboards.
Posted by veistran on Mar. 11 2002,05:41
teah, they're nice, but my optical wireless mouse really whores the batteries.
Posted by editor on Mar. 11 2002,06:42
errrrm detnet business cards for those involved? That would take a lot of data input, unless we just used detnet email and the like, no phones, etc.
My mouse has a cord just so I don't run out of batteries at 4am!