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From: STEINER@RUTGERS.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.works
Subject: Re: Mac Turbo Touch / Speed Key vs. Mice
Message-ID: <175@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 7-Jan-85 02:49:50 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.175
Posted: Mon Jan  7 02:49:50 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 9-Jan-85 02:25:43 EST
Sender: daemon@topaz.ARPA
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 23

From: Piersol.pasa@XEROX.ARPA

I have noted a major problem when trying to use a trackball for
precision cursor placement.  The problem seems to be that my hand is
not a perfectly flat surface.  Thus, the trackball tends to roll in
certain directions depending on which part of my hand is in contact
with the ball.  I personally find this very inconvenient when I'm
trying to move the cursor rapidly, since I get a lot of overshoot and
undershoot. (For a very graphic demonstration of how hard this can
be, try the video game Quantum!).

Further, when I have rolled the cursor to the correct location, the
interrrupt button telling the machine I am pointing is either
inconvenient for the hand on the ball, or requires that another hand
be used.  Another hand is almost required when making a 'dragging'
selection.

In my opinion, this makes a trackball at best a marginal cursor
steering device for most Mac style applications.  ( I'd really like
to see at least a two button mouse on Mac, though.  Much nicer to
have pop-ups available without having to move so far!)

Kurt