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From: akm@obelix.cs.uoregon.edu (Anant Kartik Mithal)
Newsgroups: comp.human-factors
Subject: Re: trackballs
Message-ID: <1991Jun26.180616.24074@cs.uoregon.edu>
Date: 26 Jun 91 18:06:16 GMT
References: <91176.152002LPARKER@auvm.american.edu>
Sender: usenet@cs.uoregon.edu (Netnews Owner)
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Oregon
Lines: 32

In article <91176.152002LPARKER@auvm.american.edu> LPARKER@auvm.american.edu (lloyd parker jr.) writes:
>I also think that to put any mouse or trackball type device on the keyboard
>will make matters worse.  A person will not be able to type and use the mouse
>at the sametime, nor would they a trackball, regardless of the location.
>So I don't think it matters where the location is.

I'm not sure what you mean by "type and use the mouse at the same
time." Does that mean moving the mouse cursor and typing
simultaneously? In any case:

>So what do you suggest?
>I am glad you asked that, what about a thumb joystick type device, one that
>would allow the user to move the cursor around in a more or less 90 degree
>fashion, which would make things more accurate.  Maybe that would work.
>Such a device would probable work being located at the bottom of the keyboard.

There are a few such devices. The Home Row Keyboard, which puts a
joystick under the 'j' key is one such. Another device uses up a
little of both ends of the space bar, putting rollers there. You can
manipulate the rollers with both thumbs to move the cursor around.
This sounds like exactly what you had in mind, though I am not sure
why you think it would be more accurate (could you elaborate?). I
haven't used it myself. I *believe* this device is available on Grid
Laptops. Ibm puts a joystick between the TGHY keys. Dec puts a touch
pad on their keyboards. I've seen a number of keyboards with a whole
trackball built in.

-- 
Anant Kartik Mithal                                     akm@cs.uoregon.edu
Network Manager, 					(503)346-4408 (msgs)
Department of Computer Science,                         (503)346-3989 (direct)
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1202