Trackball users:

[snerd]

I recently got a CST laser trackball due to some pain welling up in my wrists (primarily the mouse side). I am finding that the trackball does not work for the way I interact with my computer, and here's why:

I like having every window showing on my screen. I have 2550x1440 + 1900x1200 pixels and I'm constantly moving my main focus to right in front of me, and moving other windows around to the periphery and resizing things absentmindedly. I find that clicking and dragging is such a chore with the trackball. Especially to get something over to the other monitor.  It takes holding the button down with my thumb, and contorting my hand about 5 times to get a window moved.

Do trackball users have a different way of doing this? Sticky clicks or something?

The other problem I have with it is that it's not as smooth as I was hoping it would be. especially moving diagonally, the rollers get jammed sometimes, and there is sometimes a bumping when I'm rolling around. I wonder if it's defective.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

I have an old IBM Track Point L40 trackball mouse and it has the "click and hold" buttons, is that kinda what your looking for?

Looks like this:

[snerd]

I have an old IBM Track Point L40 trackball mouse and it has the "click and hold" buttons, is that kinda what your looking for?

Looks like this:

Interesting. I was thinking more of a software option that was "click and hold" depending on what you click on, but it does make sense to have an extra button.

[woody]

Or assign some keyboard keys as mouse buttons.

[MsKeyboard]

The CST trackballs are typically high quality products, so if you are having problems there might be an issue, maybe some dust or grit.  Sometimes a blast of air will do the trick.

Also, these trackballs are programmable, to an extent.  Click-lock is one of the functions that comes standard, so you may want to give that a try, like CL in Basement suggested.

Trackballs typically require a bit of a learning curve.  Once most people become comfortable with them it becomes very hard to go back to the standard mouse design.  Of course, YMMV............

Good luck with your trackball, just don't give up too soon.....Later

[theferenc]

You also might want to adjust the speed (in software) or the precision (hardware). I have 4 screens (1600x1200), and have no problem flicking across all of them in one spin.

Also, keep in mind the whole left side is the mouse button, basically. Push on the bottom of it with your thumb, which, at least for me, puts the ball directly under my fingers.

Just keep using it, and it will become easier. I love my CST.

[jpc]

snerd, you're not alone. I have never been happy with the CST trackball.

CST Sin #1: The wedge shape forces you to angle your hand up toward the ceiling (dorsiflexion) which is going to be uncomfortable sooner or later. You could fix the dorsiflexion by adding a palm rest to elevate your palm, except . . .

CST Sin #2: The same wedge shape prevents you from using a palm rest. The thin end of the wedge occupies the space where the palm rest should be.

CST Sin #3: The rollers are a bit sticky. The Kensington Expert Mouse requires less effort to roll the ball, as does the Logitech TrackMan.

CST Sin #4: the buttons are stiff. (Near the top of the CST, they are not so stiff; but down around where your thumb and pinky will be, they are stiff.) The Kensington Expert Mouse has buttons that are easy to click. As does the Logitech TrackMan.

Ultimately I modded my CST, relocating the cord so that I could rotate the device 180 degrees, with the thin end of the wedge pointing away from me. Then you can use software to invert the axes and swap the buttons. This fixes sin #4, because with the device rotated, you are pressing the buttons at the "easy" end, and it fixes sin #2, because now you can add the missing palm rest. Sin #3 remains. Inverting axes and buttons in software is a PITA and might not work in every OS.

My daily drivers are a Kensington Expert Mouse and a Logitech TrackMan. They're better than the CST in every way that matters for ergonomics and usability.

[jpc]

Or assign some keyboard keys as mouse buttons.

+1

[snerd]

+1

This makes a lot of sense. I like keeping my hands on the keyboard as much as possible. Also kind of wishing I got the model that takes extra buttons. I would run a dedicated button over to the other side of my KB.

[jpc]

My CST review has a recipe for binding keys to mouse buttons in Linux.

[theferenc]

It works just as well with the HHKB, as a matter of fact. Try not to let your prejudices run away with you too often.

There are X mods that allow most of those commands to work in Linux, as well. They might be KDE or Gnome specific, though. I've only ever used them with KDE.

[woody]

Logitech's diNovo Edge has a left-click and some zoom mouse buttons left to the alphanumeric cluster. There are left and right-click mouse buttons below the touchpad. And you can of course click by touching the pad.

[microsoft windows]

snerd, you're not alone. I have never been happy with the CST trackball.

CST Sin #1: The wedge shape forces you to angle your hand up toward the ceiling (dorsiflexion) which is going to be uncomfortable sooner or later. You could fix the dorsiflexion by adding a palm rest to elevate your palm, except . . .

CST Sin #2: The same wedge shape prevents you from using a palm rest. The thin end of the wedge occupies the space where the palm rest should be.

CST Sin #3: The rollers are a bit sticky. The Kensington Expert Mouse requires less effort to roll the ball, as does the Logitech TrackMan.

CST Sin #4: the buttons are stiff. (Near the top of the CST, they are not so stiff; but down around where your thumb and pinky will be, they are stiff.) The Kensington Expert Mouse has buttons that are easy to click. As does the Logitech TrackMan.

Ultimately I modded my CST, relocating the cord so that I could rotate the device 180 degrees, with the thin end of the wedge pointing away from me. Then you can use software to invert the axes and swap the buttons. This fixes sin #4, because with the device rotated, you are pressing the buttons at the "easy" end, and it fixes sin #2, because now you can add the missing palm rest. Sin #3 remains. Inverting axes and buttons in software is a PITA and might not work in every OS.

My daily drivers are a Kensington Expert Mouse and a Logitech TrackMan. They're better than the CST in every way that matters for ergonomics and usability.

I like the Kensington Expert trackballs. They're nice and smooth, and got a neat scroll wheel around the tracking ball.

[RoboKrikit]

I use a Kensington Expert Mouse.  The buttons are designed to be pretty easy to click in different hand positions, and the scroll wheel is around the ball so you don't have to reach up to scroll, or keep your hand in a higher position.

The only thing keeping me from trying out a CST is the scroll wheel placement.  I tend to keep my fingertips on the ball, and the angle that my hand sits at would require me to lift my hand to stretch my fingers forward to hit the scroll wheel, instead of lazily flicking the scroll wheel with my thumb.  I think this could be ameliorated by using a keyboard tray or lower desk, which are still on my to-do list.

The scrollwheel in the Kensington is grindy though.  Its design is flawed from a hand-feel perspective, but it does work pretty well in function.

Edit: If by smoothness you mean that the ball itself does not move very smoothly, if it is new it may not be properly, erm, lubricated yet.  It will break in eventually.  You can speed this up easily, but I will say no more.  Dirty secret of trackball users, you see.

[kidchunks]

The scrollwheel in the Kensington is grindy though.

Did you remove the magnet? Was it still grindy?

I tried the trackman and it was pretty sweet. I ended up taking it back because I couldn't do precision designing with it (didn't give it enough of a try). I may end up grabbing it again.

[woebtz]

WIN + Arrow keys = Win!
(assuming you have Windows 7 and not a HHKB)

Also, Autohotkey, if you're on XP or Vista (Caps Lock + WASD!):
http://lifehacker.com/5133039/windows-7-shortcuts-enables-the-best-win7-shortcuts-in-xp-or-vista

Or ShiftIt on Mac (see Filip Krikava's github > Download > 1.5):
http://code.google.com/p/shiftit/

@jpc: Ouch. I was planning to save up for the L-Trac-X to replace the KEM I've never been too happy about... :/

@snerd: Is your pain from holding/moving the mouse or from clicking the buttons?

[snerd]

@snerd: Is your pain from holding/moving the mouse or from clicking the buttons?

I would say it's from holding the mouse. I have really large hands, and you should see the claw that is formed. Especially the thumb and pinky curling in to move the mouse side to side accurately. The problem started when I got a G500, but I don't know what mouse would be better. That one is pretty big, and I like everything about it except of course this major issue.

Actually my wrists have felt better since I started splitting time with the trackball and I also took the optional weights out of the mouse.

[Levoc]

I'd have to agree with Snerd. I picked up a LTRACX Large Trackball back at the end of October from Fentek and have been using it for about two months now. Having issues with my wrist being more in pain from the positioning then with a typical mouse. And that's with tilting and angeling the trackball in various attempts to make it more comfortable. I've also found that my thumb gets tired when clicking a lot or trying to click and drag.

So if anyone wants to buy a black trackball with 800, 1600, 2400, 3200 CPI I'd be happy to toss it up on eBay with a buyout around $150. It also has the two jacks at the top for additional buttons. =)

[snerd]

WIN + Arrow keys = Win!
(assuming you have Windows 7 and not a HHKB)

I am now in love with these shortcuts. I guess after a 8 windows versions, you stop looking for what's new. Thanks!

[theferenc]

I find that if I put my LTracX over my number pad, it feels better. If I don't have it there, I have it at a slight angle to my keyboard.

It's also on my desk, so is relatively here. There isn't really any backward flexing of my wrist. If I rest my elbows on the arms of my chair (with the arms turned in), it's the perfect angle.

[theferenc]

1) Awesome picture. I especially love the use of the windows key at the end. You should put a shift key plus a 1 there for chuckles.
2) As I stated before, it works on the HHKB.
3) There are many reasons the HHKB won't be a mainstream keyboard, most shared with the realforces. This is not one of the reasons.

I'm done correcting you though. Feel free to be wrong as much as you like.

[microsoft windows]

You're right. Windows is the winner!

[Milquetoast]

The scrollwheel in the Kensington is grindy though.  Its design is flawed from a hand-feel perspective, but it does work pretty well in function.

I've found that the "grindyness" of the scroll ring goes away with use, even without taking the magnets out. In fact, I prefer the magnets in because the "notch" effect provides some feedback.

I think the scroll ring idea was a stroke of genius on the part of the Kensington engineers.

[RoboKrikit]

I've found that the "grindyness" of the scroll ring goes away with use, even without taking the magnets out. In fact, I prefer the magnets in because the "notch" effect provides some feedback.

I think the scroll ring idea was a stroke of genius on the part of the Kensington engineers.

Next month I'll have had the Expert Mouse for 4 years.  Its grindiness is not going anywhere soon.  I leave the magnets in for the feedback also.