Pointer pain

[vakkotaur]

Last night I did a bit more with caspian, (updated the Ultima Linux install from the latest CD, got Opera installed and mostly configured, told xchat how to open URLs with Opera. Still need to install joe and tell Opera to use NEdit to view source) and a fair amount of that time I was using the laptop's built-in pointer. The built-in pointer is an eraser-head thing. Despite the other colloquial names for that style of pointer, it's not fun to use, at least for me. I've found it's painful. Not right away, but I notice it eventually and today my wrist is sore. As much as I dislike trackpads, at least they don't make my wrist sore that I've noticed.

Fortunately I have a good spare trackball that I can plug into the laptop. It's not as convenient as the built-in pointer, but it's won't give me a sore wrist. It will, however, fit into the laptop along with various cables and such. I don't expect to be setting up the laptop in every little space or using it on aircraft, so it's not a big deal.

A good trackball is one with a fairly large ball. Those micro-marble things tend to be painful to use for any length of time. Also, a good trackball is one that can be used by the left hand. While I am right-handed, I prefer the pointer to be on the left. There are, or were, many allegedly ergonomic mouse and trackball designs that are right hand only and therefore useless to me. The Logitech "Marble Mouse" is mis-named twice, it's actually a good trackball. It's the one I now prefer. There are also too many trackballs that seem to be designed by people who never use them, and it shows. They're annoying to use left or right handed.

Comments

[khirmoonclaw.livejournal.com]

I prefer the standard mouse for myself, dont care to much for a trackball

but I feel you on the eraser style mouse on laptops, there so annoying to use..

[jmaynard.livejournal.com]

I like the eraserhead mouse. The trick is not to use much pressure to move it.

[foolscap001.livejournal.com]

Amen on trackballs. The Logitech Marble Mouse is good, but I really miss the old Trackman FX, which had a HUGE trackball--almost on the order of the humongous Kensington "Expert Mouse" which I'd love to try save that they think awfully highly of them ($100 worth).

Lately, though, I'm having some hand pain after using the Marble Mouse; don't know what I might try next.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

The Marble Mouse trackball by itself isn't enough. I have a block of foam in front (or behind, however you care to look at it) as a wrist rest and that works very well for me. The foam block is softer than most wrist rests and also taller. Only my fingers ever really touch any part of the trackball assembly. I think this foam was once packing material.

There was one trackball, which was really big, that I'd used at UW-Platteville but it disappeared (and I did not disappear it) and I do not recall the name that was on it. I was quite disappointed to discover it was missing. I agree that some of the Kensington stuff looks good, but at those prices, I'm not just too curious about them. My Marble Mouse and foam solution works well.

[yakko.livejournal.com]

At home, I use the Trackman Wheel, which is great for small spaces, but is unfortunately right-hand only. I've also had to put a wrist rest in front of it to keep my wrist from bending. It's worked well over the past 8yr or so (starting with the Trackman Marble).

In the back room, I have this MX510 that's a really good mouse because it lacks any side buttons I can erroneously push to interrupt my games. The ergonomics of that area leave much to be desired, though.

At work, I have to make do with a Wireless Mouseman (or somesuch) for the laptop (which is better than the PowerBook's built-in trackpad by far), and cruddy ball mice for almost everything else.