Talk:Pointing stick

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Damned trademarked stuff...

To my dismay, the TrackPoint is by far what I think to be the best pointing device ever. Plus it saves space on the keyboard. I was looking for this kind of pointer to appear on ultra-slick laptops, but after reading this article I guess that there is only little hope it can happen.

Was it on a JVC laptop that I saw such a TrackPoint ? Now I wonder if this technology is disappearing because it was patented and nobody wants to pay royalties, or if ergonomists concluded that the touchpad is more convenient.

Any ergonomist around ?

Toshiba has their AccuPoint, Dell and HP/Compaq have their own implementation.
Toshiba's pushed it off of their non-business models, though, and Dell and HPaq never did have it on consumer models, unfortunately.
--Bhtooefr 23:02, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
My IBM ThinkPad has a pointing stick. (Actually, the photo in the article is a ThinkPad ...) And I don't care what ergonomists think, touch pads are awful! dbenbenn | talk 23:48, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
I love it. I find it a bit harder to learn using it than touchpad, but it is my only reason why i will never own a PowerBook. Track point is far more ergonomic for me!
Toshiba has used these on almost every laptop model line, including the Satellite and Tecra series, they may have used them on more laptops than IBM. The only touchpad I've ever encountered that was worth a bleep was the original iBook version that sat *above* the surrounding plastic instead of being down in a hole like 100% of all other laptop touchpads.
It might be that it's harder to get used to than te trackpad, so people don't even try. But, once you learn it, you don't need anything else. I found it quite funny when once I and three of my coworkers put our laptops on the table to start working - they all then got their mouses to connect to their machines, while I just started working. They might have found their trackpads easy to get started with, but they never could do some serious work with; I invested a bit more effort to get proficient with the trackpoint and now I don't need to connect a mouse to my laptops with trackpoints. Indeed, my fingers sometimes look for it even on desktops. :) This is a typical case of an all-finger typist who disdains getting the fingers off the home row to take the mouse. Sometimes that feels almost painful ;) :arny (talk) 00:25, 11 May 2008 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] trackpoint in other languages

Shouldn't we start a section called "trackpoint in other languages", a la "@ in other languages"? I'm quite sure trackpoint has some charming names in other languages, just like @ does...

Best name I ever saw for it was Magical Red Nipple of Mouse Control. The person who coined that one was indeed a NetHack fan...
Believe it or not, but many people refer to it as "clit". I've heard it so many times in so many languages that I think it's worth mentioning on either the Pointing stick page or the "Clit (disambiguation)" page or better yet: Both. On the other hand, some second opinions might be desired before changing the article(s). RobIII 11:38, 19 September 2007 (UTC)
It is quite commonly referred to as "clitoris" in Russia, whatever the real Russian name of that device is supposed to be, the public has no knowledge of it, and it is not widely used in practice. Mihara 23:24, 14 March 2007 (UTC)
clitoris in Brazil too. But i can only atest for the geek crowd. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.52.174.253 (talk) 02:56, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

The only name I know it by is "clit mouse". Every time I want to search the web for it I need to first use Wikipedia to look up other names for it.

in the netherlands the thing is called "clitoris" in informal speak. i think the name *is* common, and i think not including it among the nicknames is unnecessarily prude and hiding useful information. is was also the only name i knew it by until a certain webcomic told me the official name Bewareircd 09:52, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

I've never heard it called a "pointing stick"; that sounds like one of those long rubber-tipped dowels that I remember from elementary school 40 years ago. People who find "clit mouse" offensive should also remember that "pointing stick" may be construed as a euphemism for that with which one writes one's name in the snow.

Another name I liked as soon as I discovered it (just now, prompting me to edit this in) is eraserhead mouse. I'd never heard that term before, but as soon as I heard it, I knew immediately what it must refer to. That might be a good name to settle on, just because the word's connection to its referent is so obvious. Reference, good on 2007-03-16=Fr: <http://www.amazon.com/IBM-ULTRANAV-KEYBOARD-TRAVEL-31P9490/dp/B0002PUIAA/ref=sr_1_2/002-8889596-0227201>.

When talking someone through their choices in choosing a new laptop, I explain that then have a choice of Pointing Devices: An Eraserhead, a Skating Rink or both. Later on, if they buy a machine with both, I encourage them to turn off the Skating Rink, in order to avoid problems with accidental contact.StevenAlls 17:15, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] So is this actually trademarked?

It seems that very few laptops nowadays incorporate trackpoints, even in the ultraportable market where a trackpoint is optimal. Does IBM/Lenovo have a patent on a trackpoint design, or do we simply have a case of betamax/vhs on our hands? --Qviri (talk) 04:47, 25 June 2006 (UTC)`

I'm pretty sure it's patented by IBM --Froth 19:16, 7 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Let's keep this article on topic

When I ran across this article last night, I was dismayed by some of the offensive and irrelevant content. I've cleaned it up, and I would like to ask other editors to refrain from adding such material in the future.

That said, I apologize for my note in the edit comments for this talk page, "Removed offensive and idiotic content." That comes close to being a personal insult, and I did not mean it that way. "Removed offensive content" would have been sufficient.

Michael Geary 17:03, 9 July 2006 (UTC)

Wikipedia is not censored. The nomenclature may be offensive to you but that is not a justification for deleting it. --Dgies 00:28, 24 December 2006 (UTC)
And now we have *ten* references for these obscure terms? Sorry, but that is way over the top. It makes it look like Wikipedia is obsessed with trivial and scatological names for things. What is notable about those names? --Michael Geary 04:25, 24 December 2006 (UTC)
In fact, a full 25% of this article is now devoted to these terms! --Michael Geary 05:12, 24 December 2006 (UTC)
All we needed was one line, but you and that other guy seemed to think they were uncommon or unreferenced. Pick your poison. --Dgies 05:22, 24 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Moved other pointing stick definition to a disambiguation page

Since this article covered two completely different topics, and by far the most incoming links to this page are about the TrackPoint, I moved the non-TrackPoint content to a disambiguation page.

Could we now keep this article to the TrackPoint and similar pointing devices only?

Thanks,

Michael Geary 03:03, 12 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] "It has also been observed on computer mice"

The current article says this, no documentation. Really?

Really. Follow the link to the IBM TrackPoint page, then the TrackPoint Mouse link. (SEWilco 05:11, 14 July 2006 (UTC))
That is cool! Also the idea of two cursors is brilliant, though personally I would miss the scroll wheel --Froth 19:17, 7 August 2006 (UTC)
I had one of these about eight years ago. It was called the ScrollPoint mouse. [1] New versions here: [2] [3] It wasn't an additional cursor, but it took the place of the wheel. It wasn't any harder to pick up than a scroll wheel, and sometimes I with I still had it.
And i've been wishing that someone would make one. —überRegenbogen 09:30, 6 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Home row

Sharcho, I'm curious about your edit that changed:

It is especially liked by touch-typists because it is the only pointing device which does not require the user to remove their fingers from the home row.

to:

It is especially liked by touch-typists because it is one of the few pointing device which does not require the user to remove their fingers from the home row.

Is there another pointing device that you can use without moving your fingers from the home row? I am not aware of one, but I'd be interested to know about it.

Thanks! --Michael Geary 05:18, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

I didn't make that change, but there are pointing devices which are used with the thumbs (which do not use the home row). A head-movement pointing device also does not affect hand positioning. (SEWilco 15:39, 13 September 2006 (UTC))
also, remember that there are input devices where the home row is more unconventional, like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datahand —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.52.174.253 (talk) 03:02, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Other names

Ok, so here's the quote: Pointing stick devices are sometimes referred to as a "nub", "eraser", "nipple", or "clit."

And the references, let's discuss them:

I'm moving the quote to the top, it belongs there with the other names. The only AKA that has been adequately referenced so far is nipple. I'm also going to add the word "informally" to the quote. -- Norvy (talk) 16:25, 24 December 2006 (UTC)

eraser head has no references and should probably be removed if there's any degree of objectivity in Wikipedia. --ToobMug 11:46, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Disable Calibration

Is there any way to disable the auto calibration of the trackpoint? It disrupts my work when I draw, it gets me killed in games and it frustrates me while trying to select icons at times. In short, it mistakes my on-purpose movements for accidental drift and re-calibrates in error causing difficulties. It might be included into the article if it is or is not possible to disable that feature - I cannot plug in another external mouse to avoid the issue as I have no ports to plug it71.112.206.197

[edit] no cramps

I use the accu point on my notebook every day, even on my desk. I never expirienced cramps. I rather get them with by using the touch pad. But I too accelerated pointer speed. Then you need not to apply as much pressure. You need some time of training to use it correct and to judge this device. 217.81.228.22 09:56, 26 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Comparison with touchpad

I've removed the following from the comparison with touchpads:

"Unlike a touchpad, a pointing stick allows a user to move the cursor large distances without the need to pause to reposition their finger."

Touchpads these days typically have some sort of cursor acceleration enabled, so it's now quite normal to be able to move the cursor all the way across the screen in one movement just by moving your finger faster across the touchpad. - Mark 15:45, 18 January 2008 (UTC)

Even if a touchpad only requires one movement across it to move the cursor all the way across the screen, you are still moving your fingers and hands significantly more than you would on the Trackpoint. Moreover, you have to remove your hands from the home keys. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any ways in which a touchpad has a greater economy of movement than a trackpoint. 24.127.54.17 (talk) 02:52, 30 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] first sight-picture is showing touchpad

maybe different angle would be better. or illustration ;) this picture wants you to know the differnce or look it up. better would be hand + trackpoint + arrows ;) 84.16.123.194 (talk) 01:41, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] idea - similar to modal X non-modal editors

both need you to keep doing something. trackpoint to develop constant pressure, touchpad to simulate movement. it felt somehow similar as to vi-like emacs-like editors work. in one you are changing states "less rapidly" (pressing/not presing) in other it is instances (strokes) + lot of finger "combos"? 84.16.123.194 (talk) 02:01, 4 February 2008 (UTC)