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From: rsw@cs.brown.EDU (Bob Weiner)
Newsgroups: comp.human-factors
Subject: Re: Knob on a keyboard?
Message-ID: <RSW.91Jun13141101@tahiti.cs.brown.EDU>
Date: 13 Jun 91 18:11:01 GMT
References: <2909@sumax.seattleu.edu> <6449@ns-mx.uiowa.edu>
Sender: news@brunix.UUCP
Organization: Brown U.
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In-reply-to: jones@pyrite.cs.uiowa.edu's message of 12 Jun 91 17:08:18 GMT

In article <6449@ns-mx.uiowa.edu> jones@pyrite.cs.uiowa.edu (Douglas W. Jones,201H MLH,3193350740,3193382879) writes:
> From my experience using the knob, it was better than a mouse for text
> editing because it was constrained to move in only one dimension at a
> time.  You'd home in on the right line, then home in on a character,
> without the awkward problems mice cause with slipping up or down a line
> as you seek a character on a particular line.  In addition, the knob let
> me switch between typing and cursor positioning much faster than a mouse
> simply because I didn't have to move my hands as far from the home row.
> 
> For coarse graphics, I'd vote in favor of a mouse, but for fine graphics,
> where you're trying to get precise alignment of items on the screen, I
> think the knob was again a winning technology.
> 
> I conclude that I'd like something like HP's knob on my keyboard as well
> as a mouse off to the side, and for most purposes, I'd like them to be
> completely equivalent, so that motion of either would move the cursor.
> 

The Isopoint device (as featured on Outbound portable Macs) and
successor technology is being developed to be extremely cheap and much
more accurate than mouse pointing.  It is much easier to reach than the
know since it is essentially a roller-bar that also moves left and right
and is placed right below the space bar.  I believe future generation
technology is aiming for up to 300-dot-per-inc placement precision.

I have no more information, so no use in following up to me.

				Bob

-- Some day, designers will understand that user interfaces are for users.
--
Bob Weiner				   rsw@cs.brown.edu