| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Trackball Mouse Thread poster: Philippe Locquet
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Hi, I just wanted to have your experience using mouse trackballs while translating. There are some models that look useful, like those from Kensington having a big scroll wheel around the ball and 4 buttons that can be assigned functions (like the Expert or the SlimBlade).
I see them being very useful when scrolling, grabbing etc. doing review tasks or data management (or video editing for those of us who do).
My doubt is when actually performing translation tasks, is it inconvenient... See more Hi, I just wanted to have your experience using mouse trackballs while translating. There are some models that look useful, like those from Kensington having a big scroll wheel around the ball and 4 buttons that can be assigned functions (like the Expert or the SlimBlade).
I see them being very useful when scrolling, grabbing etc. doing review tasks or data management (or video editing for those of us who do).
My doubt is when actually performing translation tasks, is it inconvenient moving hands away from the keyboard to reposition them on the trackball?
For translation, I feel the trackpad on laptops (when good quality) is nice because it’s within finger reach.
So in your experience, how does using a trackball compare?
Be well 😊 ▲ Collapse
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I've only used trackballs the last 20 years or so and wouldn't go back to a classic rodent.
| | | | finnword1
United States
Local time: 23:21
English to Finnish
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| Wireless M575 (Google it out) | Jan 24, 2023 |
Trackball is the only kind of mouse for me. It's more responsive and will not wear out your shoulder, elbow and wrist like a conventional mouse that you must drag back and forth on your desk.
| | | | | Yes, the hands had better stay on the keyboard | Jan 25, 2023 |
Philippe Locquet wrote:
My doubt is when actually performing translation tasks, is it inconvenient moving hands away from the keyboard to reposition them on the trackball
Trackballs are quite ergonomic, especially those with a big heavy ball, but you are right about moving the hand off the keyboard. In this respect, nothing beats the trackpoint, a.k.a. pointing stick, which you can find on Lenovo Thinkpads and a few other brands. I've been using it on 6 laptops over 26 years and am totally happy with it. I've seen many people try it for the first time; some get the hang of it instantly, others find it strange at first.
A trackball is ideal in applications where you mostly manipulate the pointer and only sometimes press a key. One obvious example is working with maps.
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Philippe Locquet 
Portugal
Local time: 04:21
English to French
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TOPIC STARTER
finnword1 wrote:
Trackball is the only kind of mouse for me. It's more responsive and will not wear out your shoulder, elbow and wrist like a conventional mouse that you must drag back and forth on your desk.
Interesting. Yes, I've seen the model you mention, I'm looking for something that can be ambidextrous but the design seems very good! Thanks!
| | | | Philippe Locquet
Portugal
Local time: 04:21
English to French
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TOPIC STARTER
[quote]Anton Konashenok wrote:
Philippe Locquet wrote:
Trackballs are quite ergonomic, especially those with a big heavy ball, but you are right about moving the hand off the keyboard. In this respect, nothing beats the trackpoint, a.k.a. pointing stick, which you can find on Lenovo Thinkpads and a few other brands. I've been using it on 6 laptops over 26 years and am totally happy with it. I've seen many people try it for the first time; some get the hang of it instantly, others find it strange at first.
You're right! I had forgotten about the pointing stick! I suppose trackpoint users' resort to the trackpad for scrolling.
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Philippe Locquet wrote:
You're right! I had forgotten about the pointing stick! I suppose trackpoint users' resort to the trackpad for scrolling.
Not me. I use the scroll wheel on my trackball. I don't have any problems with moving my hand from the keyboard to the trackball, and it's healthy to move your hands instead of keeping them in the same position.
Instead of typing everything manually, I sometimes use the new voice typing feature in Windows 11. It's quite good.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:21
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| MIghty Mouse | Jan 25, 2023 |
I cannot ever stop using my beloved Apple Mighty Mouse (wired). I love it. It has a tiny trackball that you scroll with your index finger. Rather sexy (use your imagination). So comfortable. You put your whole hand on it, and keep it there, like cuddling a small animal, lovingly. Multiple left and right clicks and side buttons that you can set as you wish - though the only one I use is the normal click. There is no "click" button; the whole mouse is the main "click" button. You just push down o... See more I cannot ever stop using my beloved Apple Mighty Mouse (wired). I love it. It has a tiny trackball that you scroll with your index finger. Rather sexy (use your imagination). So comfortable. You put your whole hand on it, and keep it there, like cuddling a small animal, lovingly. Multiple left and right clicks and side buttons that you can set as you wish - though the only one I use is the normal click. There is no "click" button; the whole mouse is the main "click" button. You just push down on the mouse body. And it's USB-wired, so is very lightweight with no heavy batteries that run out and have to be replaced or recharged. The best mouse ever. I don't want any other kind. Apple have tried all kinds of new mouse designs but for me, this one has never been bettered. Whoever designed it (was it Jonathan Ive?) really understood about ergonomics and the physical, emotional relationship we have with the things we touch and use.
[Edited at 2023-01-26 09:49 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 05:21
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
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| Is there a difference for your wrist? | Jan 26, 2023 |
Thomas T. Frost wrote:
I've only used trackballs the last 20 years or so and wouldn't go back to a classic rodent.
Would you say they are noticeably safer for the wrist with extensive use, eg. less tension, pain, etc.?
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Philippe Locquet wrote:
I suppose trackpoint users' resort to the trackpad for scrolling.
On Lenovo Thinkpads, scrolling is supported by the trackpoint itself: it has three buttons, not two, and for scrolling you just nudge the trackpoint in the desired direction with the middle button pressed. Works not only for up-down scrolling, but also for left-right (though the latter is application-dependent).
| | | | Mr. Satan (X)
English to Indonesian
Philippe Locquet wrote:
I suppose trackpoint users' resort to the trackpad for scrolling.
Not me. I still use the trackpoint while holding the middle button to scroll. I could never get used to touch-based input methods like a trackpad or a touchscreen.
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Tom in London wrote:
Rather sexy (use your imagination).
Indeed, though with the trackpoint this analogy is even closer.
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Lingua 5B wrote:
Would you say they are noticeably safer for the wrist with extensive use, eg. less tension, pain, etc.?
I think so, based on my subjective experience. First of all, you only need to move your fingers and hand to use the trackball. With a mouse, you need to make sometimes fine movements with the whole arm, which can cause muscle tension.
It's important to find a trackball model one feels comfortable with, though. They are not all equally good, and there isn't much choice. I prefer the ones where the ball is moved by the middle fingers, not the thumb.
Not everybody can get used to them, it should also be pointed out.
| | | | CroPro
Croatia
Local time: 05:21
English to Croatian
| You can use trackball, but why would you? | Jan 26, 2023 |
Because, yes, moving hands away from keyboard is distracting and, over time, tiresome. No matter whether what you find there, on meadows far away, is trackball or mouse.
That little stick between the keys, I couldn't use that to save my life. But I heard some other people swear about it too.
For me, nothing beats touchpad. But, with some caveats. First, you absolutely need to enable Turn on ClickLock setting in Mouse Properties, then I recommend putting it on Short unde... See more Because, yes, moving hands away from keyboard is distracting and, over time, tiresome. No matter whether what you find there, on meadows far away, is trackball or mouse.
That little stick between the keys, I couldn't use that to save my life. But I heard some other people swear about it too.
For me, nothing beats touchpad. But, with some caveats. First, you absolutely need to enable Turn on ClickLock setting in Mouse Properties, then I recommend putting it on Short under Settings for ClickLock.
And set a pointer speed a notch or two below fastest. What you want is being able to cross the whole screen real estate with two thirds of the touchpad diagonal.
And second, even more important, the difference between touchpads on different laptops is HUGE. From sensitivity, to resolution, to gesture support. It's unbelievable. And gestures like those for scrolling are really, really convenient. I even have one for right mouse button.
My Dell Inspiron touchpad is incredible, the best thing I ever used, while on my Lenovo it's absolute crap. Usable when I need it, but the difference is night and day. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Mighty mouse | Jan 27, 2023 |
Tom in London wrote:
Rather sexy (use your imagination).
You mean your mouse is a "topa"? 
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