Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!ogicse!milton!sumax!bentson
From: bentson@sumax.seattleu.edu (Randy+Cindy Bentson)
Newsgroups: comp.human-factors
Subject: Re: Track ball on a keyboard?
Message-ID: <2909@sumax.seattleu.edu>
Date: 12 Jun 91 16:48:09 GMT
Article-I.D.: sumax.2909
References: <91163.083144CJS@psuvm.psu.edu>
Organization: Seattle University, Seattle WA
Lines: 18

In article <91163.083144CJS@psuvm.psu.edu> CJS@psuvm.psu.edu writes:
>I understand that users of track balls find them superior to mice.
>They are now readily available as mice replacements.
>

Christopher (or whoever wants to enlighten me):
Well, I for one am ignorant but intrigued. I have used both
the cursor arrow/hjkl keys and mice, and am curious
about these track balls. How do they work? Will my experience with
them be the - gosh, how to put this into words? - line by line
(like Etch-a-Sketch) movement or a more subltle flowing movement
that puts you where you want to be "instantly" - like mice do?

The idea of having something on the keyboard is attractive (I
always lose the mouse, or have no reasonable surface to run 
it on). What other advantages are there?

Cindy B.