Thread
What is your mouse of choice?
I've been using traditional mice for nearly 15 of my 23 years on earth. A few days ago I said why not try something new. $14 later and I have a nice Logitech Marble mouse. Now I wonder - Was I wrong?
The software is pretty nice and I don't miss the scroll. It has 2 extra buttons that scroll for you.
So I ask all of you - which do you prefer? Traditional mice of trackball?
The software is pretty nice and I don't miss the scroll. It has 2 extra buttons that scroll for you.
So I ask all of you - which do you prefer? Traditional mice of trackball?
I used traditional mice ever since the original ADBI mouse on my IIgs, and it stayed pretty constant until around the time i got my rev-b imac, where i switched to a kensington Orbit for awhile. i dunno, i liked it and all but in the end i switched back to a logitech MouseMan Wheel USB and then finally to a Logitech MX518 which i absolutely love. a high-res mouse just beats the pants off of a regular mouse on irregularly patterned surfaces. For my MBP i use a logitech V270, which works well enough.
Another interesting pointing device I've been using lately is the IBM TrackPoint on my ThinkPad's keyboard. I have even considered getting one of the desktop ThinkPad keyboards for my iMac, it's really efficient.
But in general, I really like my traditional mice, specifically most of those from Logitech and Microsoft, plus a few of the mice that have Dell's name on them. I haven't used a trackball in quite awhile, but the next time I'm in dire need of a mouse, I might try that route, especially if they don't cost too much. I've heard that they're great, ergonomically, since you spend less time reaching around with the desk moving the mouse around.
(off topic from here on out)
Another form of input I'd eventually like to invest in is a tablet. They're coming down in price slowly but surely, and it would make a great and accurate input device for using brushes in photoshop. I've used handwriting recognition in Mac OS X (10.4, 10.5) and Windows (Vista) and while I like the idea of natural input, and indeed, non-keyboard input, I don't think it'll ever actually work out for me.
But in general, I really like my traditional mice, specifically most of those from Logitech and Microsoft, plus a few of the mice that have Dell's name on them. I haven't used a trackball in quite awhile, but the next time I'm in dire need of a mouse, I might try that route, especially if they don't cost too much. I've heard that they're great, ergonomically, since you spend less time reaching around with the desk moving the mouse around.
(off topic from here on out)
Another form of input I'd eventually like to invest in is a tablet. They're coming down in price slowly but surely, and it would make a great and accurate input device for using brushes in photoshop. I've used handwriting recognition in Mac OS X (10.4, 10.5) and Windows (Vista) and while I like the idea of natural input, and indeed, non-keyboard input, I don't think it'll ever actually work out for me.
Those of us who have a variety of Macs are likely to have trackballs (PB 100 family), trackpads (PB 500 family and later) and mouses from clunky M0100 to Optical Pro of one kind or another. I don't find any of them difficult to manipulate within a pixel or two. Although my billiard-ball size (to steal Bunsen's reference) Precision Instruments ADB trackball at sl-o-o-ow tracking speeds is capable of even finer discrimination, I don't need it often. When a soundwave can be expanded to 2,000,000%, as I can do in Spark, the old optical mouse is plenty precise enough for redrawing waveforms.
One 'mouse' characteristic that I am not enamoured of is supersensitive trackpads that 'sense' a finger that is not in contact with the pad, and interpret that as a selection. It leads to some disconcerting selections on a G3/600 iBook known to me. And I hasten to add that this is not for lack of twiddling with the trackpad's control panel.
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One 'mouse' characteristic that I am not enamoured of is supersensitive trackpads that 'sense' a finger that is not in contact with the pad, and interpret that as a selection. It leads to some disconcerting selections on a G3/600 iBook known to me. And I hasten to add that this is not for lack of twiddling with the trackpad's control panel.
de
I'm a normal mouse man as well. I've considered trying trackballs in the past, but have never really had the motivation to go out and get one!
My current mouse of choice is one of these:
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mice_pointers/mice/devices/130
My current mouse of choice is one of these:
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mice_pointers/mice/devices/130
While I prefer the traditional mouse, but I actually like both. I had an old PS/2 Logitech trackball (light blue ball with beige base) that had 3 buttons. Worked nicely under GNU/Linux, but since it was quite old it was losing it's functionality with the rollers for the ball.
how are those to use? its one of the ones with the weighted scroll wheel, yeah? i've seen them on displays around various stores but i didn't really see much of a difference between them and more typical mice. Logitech made a big deal about those when they were released.
I, too, am quite a fan of trackpoints on thinkpads. I used to be weary of them but compared to a trackpad it's just so much easier to use, takes less strain too.
Of the choices, I prefer normal mice. I have a nice MS Optical, in the style of the original white one, but black; it matches my thinkpad perfectly. It's also very nicely weighted, unlike my other new-style MS Optical mice which are much too light.
Of the choices, I prefer normal mice. I have a nice MS Optical, in the style of the original white one, but black; it matches my thinkpad perfectly. It's also very nicely weighted, unlike my other new-style MS Optical mice which are much too light.
TrackBall all the way, I have been using one since the Original Logitech TrackMan (PS/2) and recently Upgraded to the newer Trackman Wheel that's grey, They are great mice. Since i have more than one (sometimes more than two) computers on my desk, it's great for space since i don't have to move it around, and it's much more comfortable.
On the down side, They are rather expensive, I paid about 40 USD for mine, which IMO is a little more than the run of the mill mice out there that are just as good.
Blake.
On the down side, They are rather expensive, I paid about 40 USD for mine, which IMO is a little more than the run of the mill mice out there that are just as good.
Blake.
For desktop systems:
I prefer trackballs. I have carpal, and I can tell you from experience that trackballs aggravate less. Thank you Logitech for the Trackman Marble. It is 'teh awesome'.
For Laptops:
I prefer the IBM Trackpoint system. It is extremely accurate.
Although being able to use 2 fingers to right click on my PB is cool.
Overall I prefer IBM Thinkpads. Quick and sexy, with dual inputs, removeable drive bay, excellent graphics (by my standards) and great keyboards.
My dream laptop:
A Thinkpad T61p built by Apple with full support for OS X and has a backlit keyboard and dual inputs. I can dream can't I?
I will never own another laptop without the backlit keyboard. I heart it that much.
I prefer trackballs. I have carpal, and I can tell you from experience that trackballs aggravate less. Thank you Logitech for the Trackman Marble. It is 'teh awesome'.
For Laptops:
I prefer the IBM Trackpoint system. It is extremely accurate.
Although being able to use 2 fingers to right click on my PB is cool.
Overall I prefer IBM Thinkpads. Quick and sexy, with dual inputs, removeable drive bay, excellent graphics (by my standards) and great keyboards.
My dream laptop:
A Thinkpad T61p built by Apple with full support for OS X and has a backlit keyboard and dual inputs. I can dream can't I?
I will never own another laptop without the backlit keyboard. I heart it that much.
For desktops:
1. Optical mouse of just about any type, except the awful iMac style "iPuck" (what were Apple thinking!).
2. Ball Mouse. The Apple ADB ones with the larger, much heavier gray ball were excellent. Can't stand the old Apple ADB mouses with the really light, small black ball though.
3. Trackball. Like Bunsen, I'm quite partial to the old Kensington trackball with the "billiard ball" - they are particularly good for a computer with cramped space or that has to be used while you are standing up. In addition, the older ones are shaped to "match" the Mac Plus keyboard, so they look like they belong.
For laptops:
1. Large-ish trackball like the Mac Portable. PowerBook 140, 170, 180 etc trackballs are not bad either. The Duo trackballs were too small to be effective though, and as for those weird, tiny little trackballs Compaq used to put up the side of the display... ewwww! Obviously, their user testing did not involve any of us left-handed people!
2. IBM style trackpoint. Takes some getting used to, but very good - especially since you can use it with without moving your hands away from the keyboard "home" position.
Hate, loathe and detest track pads. They are a scourge upon the Earth. I've given them a fair go over the years, having had a PowerBook 520 as my main "work" computer for five years back when they were current. I've also had various WinTel laptops with trackpads over the years and the more I've used them, the more I hate 'em.
1. Optical mouse of just about any type, except the awful iMac style "iPuck" (what were Apple thinking!).
2. Ball Mouse. The Apple ADB ones with the larger, much heavier gray ball were excellent. Can't stand the old Apple ADB mouses with the really light, small black ball though.
3. Trackball. Like Bunsen, I'm quite partial to the old Kensington trackball with the "billiard ball" - they are particularly good for a computer with cramped space or that has to be used while you are standing up. In addition, the older ones are shaped to "match" the Mac Plus keyboard, so they look like they belong.
For laptops:
1. Large-ish trackball like the Mac Portable. PowerBook 140, 170, 180 etc trackballs are not bad either. The Duo trackballs were too small to be effective though, and as for those weird, tiny little trackballs Compaq used to put up the side of the display... ewwww! Obviously, their user testing did not involve any of us left-handed people!
2. IBM style trackpoint. Takes some getting used to, but very good - especially since you can use it with without moving your hands away from the keyboard "home" position.
Hate, loathe and detest track pads. They are a scourge upon the Earth. I've given them a fair go over the years, having had a PowerBook 520 as my main "work" computer for five years back when they were current. I've also had various WinTel laptops with trackpads over the years and the more I've used them, the more I hate 'em.
I use exclusively Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer mice (the big silver ones) as I have hugely long fingers. I have used trackballs in the past, but I'm with DAna, they cause my wrist and thumb to lock because I have long thumbs also and the movement is actually quite uncomfortable.
Only other Mice I use are my Amiga Technologies Mice (one black, one white) and my token teardrop ADB mouse for the older Macs.
Only other Mice I use are my Amiga Technologies Mice (one black, one white) and my token teardrop ADB mouse for the older Macs.
My new Microsoft Intellimout Explorer USB (v4.0) has a silent scroll wheel. No clicks or anything and it's so smooth you can actually like give it a sharp pull with your finger and it scrolls down the page really fast. It also does side scrolling way better then the Mighty Mouse with the tilt wheel. Scrolling the scroll ball sodeways o nthe Mighty Mouse is not a very natural action and used to make my finger hurt if I used it too much.
I prefer good trackpads as a pointing device (I recommend the Alps/Cirque Glidepoint series). Trackpads are space-saving on a small desktop. You can use it without a table, holding it in one hand and pointing with the other hand. The Glidepoint devices work even in dirty environment and can be used wearing examination gloves.
For CAD and picture editing I prefer a trackball with click-lock or an Artpad with pen. The general purpose device of my choice a mouse, still.
For CAD and picture editing I prefer a trackball with click-lock or an Artpad with pen. The general purpose device of my choice a mouse, still.
I use a Logitech wheel mouse on my MacBook but stick to Apple mice on the others. I can't stand the feel of a Mighty Mouse--the little ball feels like one of those pimples you used to get when you were 13 that you just want to pop open (so that it would be gone in time for the big middle school dance).
I actually like the old IIc type mouse and use it on my Plus. I prefer late-model Taiwan models out of the original square ADBs. If they were made in 1992, they usually have a clickier button, a feel which I like.
I like the puck, believe it or not. I ordered one through the service department when I got my iBook G3. I also like IBM mice.
I actually like the old IIc type mouse and use it on my Plus. I prefer late-model Taiwan models out of the original square ADBs. If they were made in 1992, they usually have a clickier button, a feel which I like.
I like the puck, believe it or not. I ordered one through the service department when I got my iBook G3. I also like IBM mice.
Kensington Turbo Mouse! Worked like a charm for me from the first time I used an auction $5 unit I purchased and have owned a dozen or so over the years. Good solid products with solid easy to obtain software. The bigger the heavier ball the better! Also you can substitute the balls on the old models 2.25" billiards work nicely.
Wrist support is Mandatory for prolonged use otherwise you will have a problem with cramps ... but that goes for all inputs.
I use the Expert with scroll wheel now that zooms and pans in my cad software - very usefull - but the scroll could be more sensitive.
However I like to have seperate input devices for every computer in the house to help my slow head twig to the machine characteristics.
Wrist support is Mandatory for prolonged use otherwise you will have a problem with cramps ... but that goes for all inputs.
I use the Expert with scroll wheel now that zooms and pans in my cad software - very usefull - but the scroll could be more sensitive.
However I like to have seperate input devices for every computer in the house to help my slow head twig to the machine characteristics.
I bought a way over-priced Kensignton Turbo Mouse, and don't regret it in the slightest. It is wonderful to use, very rugged (I don't want to think of how often it has been dropped). and has been used on everything from my IIgs to a Mac mini. Given that it is 6 years old and still working properly, the over priced bit doesn't hurt in the slightest.
I don't have much experience with optical mice. Just a few ancient Sun mice and the Mighty Mouse. The Mighty Mouse scroll 'wheel' is too small, side mouse buttons are too sensitive, and it tracks worse than a mouse with balls.
/me runs to his Turbo Mouse and cuddles it.
/me then runs to his model M to cuddle it, so that it won't get jealous.
/me starts wondering why everyone thinks he needs to see a psychologist.
I don't have much experience with optical mice. Just a few ancient Sun mice and the Mighty Mouse. The Mighty Mouse scroll 'wheel' is too small, side mouse buttons are too sensitive, and it tracks worse than a mouse with balls.
/me runs to his Turbo Mouse and cuddles it.
/me then runs to his model M to cuddle it, so that it won't get jealous.
/me starts wondering why everyone thinks he needs to see a psychologist.