i am trying out a used Microsoft Trackball Explorer, which ive read
many positive reviews about. previously ive used a logitech thumb-
trackball for many months (i know those bother some people, but i
didnt mind it because it allowed my wrist to lay flat, like a normal
mouse, rather than requiring "propping up" like some of the larger
trackball units).

i like the trackball explorer's low profile, allowing for a flatter
wrist.

in my first day of use, i see the same problem that i had w/ the
logitech -- in order to get good ground-covering rolls, i set the
sensitivity to medium or high. but that makes the point very *jumpy*
at small movements. i can lower it, but further hampering precision is
the ball's rolling resistance -- it seems to stick every-so-slightly
when attempting very small movements.. then it will unstick and jump.
it doesnt appear like its defective or anything..it feels like its
inherant to the nature of the device.

anyone have thoughts, suggestions, etc?


thanks
sm

<spacemarine (AT) mailinator (DOT) com> wrote


Tis the problem when using friction bearings instead of ball bearings.
I've tried several trackballs and found almost all of them way too
sticky for very small movement. You're trying to move a pixel, the ball
doesn't move or it slides over the roller without moving the roller, and
then all of a sudden it moves and you move way too far. If the
application allows, zoom in to overcompensate for the lack of low
granularity in the trackball's movement. Changing the acceleration
doesn't help because when trying to move a single pixel there is very
little physical acceleration to dampen its logical acceleration.

Probably the best is the Kensington trackball with its ball bearing
pivots but it probably incurs the "lift" that you mention due to the
size of the ball (note that not all Kensinton trackballs have ball
bearing pivots; I don't like their Orbit trackball as it has cheap
roller bearings and has more resistance, and I'm not sure their latest
ExpertMouse still uses ball bearings). Even then and with a brand new
Kensington ball-bearing trackball, you can still realize the "jump" at
extremely small movement. I haven't heard of any that use air jets to
constantly float the ball (so there is no friction other than maybe with
the air) and use LEDs to detect movement of the ball. So zooming in so
you can use larger movements of the ball is probably your best bet for
extremely fine [logical] movement.

I liked some of the designs of the Logitech but found their balls had
too much friction and their ball was too lightweight. I'm used to
giving a shove to the ball and have it spin on its own (i.e., low
friction). An advantage with the Kensington is that I can go to a
billiards supplier and get a snooker ball to replace the ball if it gets
scratched or lost (kids will take anything).

<spacemarine (AT) mailinator (DOT) com> wrote

I use a MS Trackball Optical 1.0 and I remember
having to give the ball a sharp tap to set the support
pins in a little, in order to get it rolling smoothly.
( Take all Internet advice as, "to be applied at your
own risk".)

My only problem with this one is the occasional hair
that gets drawn into the laser path, causing an erratic
response. Then I have to pop out the ball and fish
the hair out, easier than it sounds.

I had to do a lot more to maintain my Logitech
Marbles, and keep them rolling smoothly.

Luck;
Ken

Vanguard wrote:

what logitec trackball were you using i have been using the trackman for
five years with out any problems

On May 15, 10:44 pm, "Vanguard" <n... (AT) mail (DOT) invalid> wrote:

interesting. heres what one reviewer said about their latest expert
mouse:

"For the first hour or so, the Expert Mouse was a little on the stiff
side. Lifting the ball out, I notice that the ball rolls on tiny mini
wheels. After the first hour, the stiffness is gone, and it rolls
almost effortlessly"

....wheels. hmm. i may try to find one and give it a shot.


thanks,
sm

"darklight" wrote in message
news:FOOdndivEuDqJ9fbnZ2dnUVZ8silnZ2d (AT) bt (DOT) com...

Pick one, any one. Logitech's have too much friction - for MY taste.
None of them can you slap the ball and have it spin on its own for more
than maybe a quarter rotation.

Vanguard wrote:

my track ball spins i can spin it so the pointer can travel from one end of
the screen to the other i have been using it for five years.
I have a 17" widescreen

"Vanguard" <no (AT) mail (DOT) invalid> wrote

Most users would probably settle for a smooth operating
pointer, without any jerkiness and a good resolution. What
possible use is a free spinning pointer? A certain amount of
resistance is helpful for fine control.

( And I think this is the wrong NG to be talking about
slapping your balls around.)

Luck;
Ken

"Ken Maltby" <kmaltby (AT) sbcglobal (DOT) net> wrote

Less resistance to movement means less effort to move it to start with
and after friction reduces after movement starts (but with a far less
drop-off in the after-movement-starts friction).

Gee, now why would a ball that keeps spinning after letting go have a
use? Could it be, say, um, games? For moving a cursor around a fixed
size screen, the original mouse that was made out of a block of wood,
nails, and a ping-pong ball would do. Now try having to keep lifting
your finger to keep shoving the ball (or mouse) to move forward through
an infinite axis that has no physical barrier, like the fixed size of
"screen". Even if all the ball did was turn you in a direction, it
certainly is easier to spin the ball than have to move with your fingers
only to realize that you didn't rotate far enough and have to push the
ball again rather than spin it and then lay your fingers down when you
want the turning to stop.

But then some people claim that they like heavier wireless mice than the
lighter corded ones although their mouse never leaves the confines of
the mouse pad or its equivalent area. Maybe some slow-typing users
prefer keyboards with much stiffer springs or membranes that require
harder pushing. From what I read in the OP's post, he didn't like even
what you might think is the minimal friction that is inherent in that
trackball. There are *smoother* trackballs. I don't recall talking to
anyone before that would equate smoother with more resistance.

No such thing as a no-resistance trackball, even if it were floating on
jets of air. Note that the larger ball with more mass (and along with
less resistance) would also tend to keep in motion.

I'm sure Ajax would provide finer granularity in moving a wet rag across
your television screen but you won't like the results. I do computers
all day and evening. I don't dig ditches so I don't have tight muscles
and the incumbent problem of reduced dexterity or granularity in fine
movement control. But I am getting older and the joints more stiff plus
more wise as to where and when I want to expend my energies, and mice or
trackballs with the *least* friction is my preference. However, I'm not
yet planning to implant a BMI into my brain so I only have to think
about doing movement control in the computer.

Nope, not into masochism. Or increased finger or wrist fatigue, either.

"Vanguard" <no (AT) mail (DOT) invalid> wrote

You might want to consider a joystick, for such games. For FPS and
RTS games being able to point at an exact point, quickly is much more
important.

<<Clip, snide misdirection.>>


It really sounds as if you should get rid of your mouse and use
a joystick, if those are your concerns. They continue to scroll in
a direction until you bring the stick back from a direction.

Luck;
Ken