Re: Requesting a trackball recomendation

[Richard Cobbe <cobbe@airmail.net>]

Lo, on Sunday, December 9, omphe did write:

> EmmetHayes@cs.com wrote:
> >
> > > Can anyone recomment a three button trackball with a ps2 connector
> > > that is supported by linus? (Preferably an optical trackball)

Sorry for the nested attributions; missed the original post.

A few months ago, I started using the Mouse-Trak Evolution, by ITAC
(http://www.itacsystems.com/) at work.  I've been very pleased---enough
so that I'm probably going to buy a second one fairly shortly for use at
home, even though they run about $100 a pop.

The good points:

* The ball is quite large and easily moved

* It's under the fingers, not the thumb.  This is a bonus because your
  fingers are more dextrous, and in my personal situation, my thumb
  joint gives me a lot more trouble than my wrist.

* Buttons conveniently placed under the fingers.

* Six buttons, easily programmable.  I have mine set (in X terms) to
  button 1, button 2, button 3, double-click button 1, button 1 drag
  mode, and turbo toggle.

  `Button 1 drag mode' means I can drag with button 1 held down without
  actually holding the button: click the toggle, move the pointer with
  the ball, and click the toggle again to stop dragging.

  The turbo toggle toggles the trackball into a low-acceleration mode
  for precision work.

* All of the button programming and special features are implemented IN
  HARDWARE by the trackball itself.  Therefore, this works with the
  standard XFree86 PS/2 mouse driver.

* They've got PS/2 and USB versions.

* The ball doesn't come out, but it's still easily cleaned.

* Steel ball-bearings inside the ball housing, not the cheap plastic
  crud you get in most mice & trackballs.

Bad points:

* Not cheap: $99 plus tax.

* The steel ball-bearings are somewhat noisy, but you get used to it.

* This is made for fairly large hands---mine are about 8.5 inches from
  wrist to the tip of the middle finger and 8.5 inches from thumb tip to
  tip of pinky when outstretched.  I wouldn't want to try to use this if
  my hands were much smaller.

* No scroll wheel.  I don't find this a major problem, as I've never
  used them, but if you want one, you'll need to go elsewhere.

* No hardware support for X buttons 4 and 5.

* Looks like a gym shoe.  :-)

On the whole, though, I've been very satisfied with mine.

Richard