Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!hsdndev!husc6!zariski!zeleny
From: zeleny@zariski.harvard.edu (Michael zeleny)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Re: Laptop with Isopoint "mouse"
Summary: GRiD 1550sx
Keywords: laptop isopoint mouse windows
Message-ID: <5923@husc6.harvard.edu>
Date: 9 Mar 91 04:46:30 GMT
References: <70965@microsoft.UUCP>
Sender: news@husc6.harvard.edu
Organization: Harvard University Dept. of Mathematics
Lines: 29

In article <70965@microsoft.UUCP> garye@microsoft.UUCP (Gary ERICSON) writes:
>Does anyone know if there are any laptops made with the Isopoint pointing
>device built into the keyboard?  This would make using Windows and GUI
>software in general actually possible on a laptop (I liked someone's
>comment about using your neighbor's lap on an airplane for your mouse).
>
>Gary Ericson - Microsoft - Work Group Apps
>
>P.S. For those who don't know, the Isopoint device is a bar that sits below
>the space bar of the keyboard where you can operate it with your thumbs
>without lifting your hands from the keys.  You roll the bar back and forth
>to get up and down cursor motion, and the bar slides side-to-side to get
>left and right cursor motion.  It takes getting used to, but it seems like
>a definite win on a laptop.

I am using a GRiDCASE 1550sx 386sx laptop equipped wit Isopoint.
Yes, it can be used within the boundaries of a reasonably narrow lap.
The pointing device takes some getting used to (I use a SUN Sparcstation 1
at home and Sun 3 at the university). It is better than using a
character-based interface, though.

Although I've only had it for a little over a month, I think I can say with
some confidence that the machine works as advertised. It is solidly built
and fairly comfortable to use. A bit heavy though.

How about starting a *.grid newsgroup?

Michael Zeleny
zeleny@math.harvard.edu