Does it take a while to get proficient at using a trackball mouse?

 

I still have a mechanical mouse. . . for reasons that I really don't understand.

 

http://www.amazon.com/No-Hands-Mouse-ADB-C...00?ie=UTF8&s=pc

In a few years our hands will be obsolete




lol

 

Ftw. This mouse goes for $400 now, because its so highly desired.

 

Great so now everyone can get carpal tunnel in their ankles....

 

I got a cat with one ball.

 

?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Logitech-TrackMan-Marb...1QQcmdZViewItem

$99 Buy-it-now

 

$20 at office depot

I love it, takes a bit of getting use to.

 

I'd say it takes about 5 minutes to get proficient, but a couple weeks to really master. You'll be able to browse the net, check email, etc without any issue, but the fine motor skills needed to work in Illustrator or Photoshop will take a bit of practice. The plus is that if you use a trackball, you'll never get arm fatigue. I've never used a trackball for fps games, but for games like Civ or Baulder's Gate, the trackball is perfect.

When you use a mouse, you are constantly moving your whole arm, using back, chest arm, wrist, hand and shoulder muscles - its quite a workout and strain when you think about it, plus the mouse requires real estate to run on, and you often have to pick the mouse up and reset it when you run out of space.

When you use a trackball, you need no real estate since the thing is immoble and only the ball moves, and you isolate the muscles you use to just your wrist, hand and fingers, so its a lot easier on you.

Once you get used to flicking your finger to send the cursor all the way across the screen (of both screens if you have dual monitors), you'll wonder why you didn't switch sooner.

 

There are a few different types of track balls, but the main difference is thumb or finger oriented - I prefer thumb oriented.

My main problem with the top-mount (finger) trackballs is that you are always lifting your wrist like you do when you type, so you can get carpel tunnel or strain on the back of your arm, but the do offer more control than thumb trackballs. Also, you have to pay attention to the ergonomics of the mouse and whether you can rest your hand easily in use or not.

As far as thumb trackballs go, Logitech "gets it" and has nice curves that support a cupped hand - what your hand naturally wants to do. Microsoft makes the only other thumb trackball I know of, and they don't get it - the body is flat, forcing you to keep your hand splayed, which is not natural or comfortable.



If you have a "hook" thumb, I think this trackman is easier to use. Hook thumbs curve back when fulle extended - imagine trying to hitch hike - when you stick out your thumb, does it extend straight or hyper extend? It can make a big difference when the thumb is what you use to move the cursor around all day.

The thing I like about this trackball is that my hald rests on it like a mouse and all the movement is isolated to my thumb. Top mounted track balls will make you use other fingers, so its a matter of training different fingers depending on what you get.