I don’t think I’d go quite that far. Some mice are definitely better than others. 🙂
I used a Logitech trackball for quite a while, but it ended up hurting my hand more than a mouse did because of the one static position. That’s clearly not true for everyone, but it was a deal breaker for me.
I used to do a certain amount of graphic work and I had lots of trouble with moving the mouse when I clicked a button. (Heaven help me if I had to do a double click) As a result of this action, I would highlight the wrong pixel in a picture. I had to hold the mouse stationary with one hand while I clicked with the other. I discovered the Logitech – I think it was called “Stationary Mouse” – and all my mouse difficulties went away. I am now advanced arthritic and have considerable difficulty even positioning a mouse, much less holding it stable while I click. I require a thumb operated trackball which I Velcro to the desk to prevent its movement. I simply lift my thumb and click as I wish. I seem to move from mouse (trackball) to keyboard enough that I don’t have any of the “static position” difficulties that you describe.
I did not intend to be ugly with my comment, I was just expressing what is admittedly a minority opinion. Looking at the continually decreasing availability of trackballs is evidence of how “minority” my needs are. My needs are very real, tho.
Have you tried using a graphics tablet and stylus? That is what I use for everyday work. You hold the stylus as you would hold a pencil, and there are buttons on the stylus right under your thumb. I have configured one as a right-click and one as a double-click.
The pain in my wrist is much diminished since I switched to the stylus and tablet. I still have to wear a brace while I’m typing, but it’s a lot easier for me to pick up a “pencil” than to move either a mouse or a trackball.
I do understand that each of us has to find what works the best. I wish the manufacturers would cooperate in this endeavor!
” I wish the manufacturers would cooperate in this endeavor!”
WOW, don’t we both! I wish the manufacturers would study the human hand and make devices that fit that size and shape. It is such a shame that Logitech makes the best functioniong pointing devices yet their ergonomic design is miserable. They just seem not to use their own products and don’t know how the human hand is built. Have you ever seen a mouse middle button that is 1/4″ longer than the other two? I believe all the current Logitech trackballs have the right button considerably shorter than the left one. My third finger (and everyone else that does not live with misconfigured hands) is the same length as my first finger. The second finger is approximately 1/4″ longer than first and third. NOBODY builds a mouse to fit that size.
Do you have some carpel tunnel problems? I had considerable pain in my wrists when they got still and a routine carpel tunnel operation in the late ’80s fixed that and that problem remains fixed to this day. Now if we could find a Stationary Mouse trackball with a scroll wheel built in the middle button. I, as you, have been programming the middle mouse button as a double click so one stroke performs a double click since my earliest Stationary Mouse days. I have always been very awkward with a double click.
Talk to your doctor about your wrist pain, it may be completely fixable with a routine outpatient surgery and may only get worse if uncorrected.
What happened to me is not carpal tunnel. About 20 years ago, I had surgery on my hand and was under orders not to use it while it healed. I was stupid and tried to type with it anyway even though only the outer two fingers could move. Nobody’s quite sure what happened, but the unnatural stress of this messed up something inside. If I wear my wrist brace I am pain free. Try typing for long without it and I get the message loud and clear: You were a stupid internet addict and you’re never going to live that down. 🙂
My third finger is slightly longer than my first finger, by the way. I gather that is not common for women.
Gustaves Frondwald
9 years ago
Terrible mouse. Honestly.
I am unsure if it’s because “touch” commands mess with the tactile portion of the middle button, but I am a person who uses middle-click all the time. Mainly to open browser pages in new tabs. With this mouse, middle clicking does one of three things: 1 the actual middle-click (about 50% of the time), 2 scrolls down half a page (about 25% of the time), or 3 does nothing.
I also use middle-click all the time. I always set the middle button to be a doubleclick, if I can. I have found that with this mouse a lot depends on the placement of your finger when you click. If you hit it right in the middle, your preferred function is what you get. If you slide your finger while you click, that will produce the “scroll down half a page” result.
Lynn
8 years ago
I’m trying this mouse and the cursor doesn’t stay still when at rest. It makes little random movements no matter what surface I put it on. All drivers up to date. Still on Windows 7.
When a trackball user looks at a mouse, all they see is a mouse that takes 1/2 a desktop to use. A mouse is nothing more than a mouse.
I don’t think I’d go quite that far. Some mice are definitely better than others. 🙂
I used a Logitech trackball for quite a while, but it ended up hurting my hand more than a mouse did because of the one static position. That’s clearly not true for everyone, but it was a deal breaker for me.
I used to do a certain amount of graphic work and I had lots of trouble with moving the mouse when I clicked a button. (Heaven help me if I had to do a double click) As a result of this action, I would highlight the wrong pixel in a picture. I had to hold the mouse stationary with one hand while I clicked with the other. I discovered the Logitech – I think it was called “Stationary Mouse” – and all my mouse difficulties went away. I am now advanced arthritic and have considerable difficulty even positioning a mouse, much less holding it stable while I click. I require a thumb operated trackball which I Velcro to the desk to prevent its movement. I simply lift my thumb and click as I wish. I seem to move from mouse (trackball) to keyboard enough that I don’t have any of the “static position” difficulties that you describe.
I did not intend to be ugly with my comment, I was just expressing what is admittedly a minority opinion. Looking at the continually decreasing availability of trackballs is evidence of how “minority” my needs are. My needs are very real, tho.
Have you tried using a graphics tablet and stylus? That is what I use for everyday work. You hold the stylus as you would hold a pencil, and there are buttons on the stylus right under your thumb. I have configured one as a right-click and one as a double-click.
The pain in my wrist is much diminished since I switched to the stylus and tablet. I still have to wear a brace while I’m typing, but it’s a lot easier for me to pick up a “pencil” than to move either a mouse or a trackball.
I do understand that each of us has to find what works the best. I wish the manufacturers would cooperate in this endeavor!
” I wish the manufacturers would cooperate in this endeavor!”
WOW, don’t we both! I wish the manufacturers would study the human hand and make devices that fit that size and shape. It is such a shame that Logitech makes the best functioniong pointing devices yet their ergonomic design is miserable. They just seem not to use their own products and don’t know how the human hand is built. Have you ever seen a mouse middle button that is 1/4″ longer than the other two? I believe all the current Logitech trackballs have the right button considerably shorter than the left one. My third finger (and everyone else that does not live with misconfigured hands) is the same length as my first finger. The second finger is approximately 1/4″ longer than first and third. NOBODY builds a mouse to fit that size.
Do you have some carpel tunnel problems? I had considerable pain in my wrists when they got still and a routine carpel tunnel operation in the late ’80s fixed that and that problem remains fixed to this day. Now if we could find a Stationary Mouse trackball with a scroll wheel built in the middle button. I, as you, have been programming the middle mouse button as a double click so one stroke performs a double click since my earliest Stationary Mouse days. I have always been very awkward with a double click.
Talk to your doctor about your wrist pain, it may be completely fixable with a routine outpatient surgery and may only get worse if uncorrected.
Good Luck
What happened to me is not carpal tunnel. About 20 years ago, I had surgery on my hand and was under orders not to use it while it healed. I was stupid and tried to type with it anyway even though only the outer two fingers could move. Nobody’s quite sure what happened, but the unnatural stress of this messed up something inside. If I wear my wrist brace I am pain free. Try typing for long without it and I get the message loud and clear: You were a stupid internet addict and you’re never going to live that down. 🙂
My third finger is slightly longer than my first finger, by the way. I gather that is not common for women.
Terrible mouse. Honestly.
I am unsure if it’s because “touch” commands mess with the tactile portion of the middle button, but I am a person who uses middle-click all the time. Mainly to open browser pages in new tabs. With this mouse, middle clicking does one of three things: 1 the actual middle-click (about 50% of the time), 2 scrolls down half a page (about 25% of the time), or 3 does nothing.
I also use middle-click all the time. I always set the middle button to be a doubleclick, if I can. I have found that with this mouse a lot depends on the placement of your finger when you click. If you hit it right in the middle, your preferred function is what you get. If you slide your finger while you click, that will produce the “scroll down half a page” result.
I’m trying this mouse and the cursor doesn’t stay still when at rest. It makes little random movements no matter what surface I put it on. All drivers up to date. Still on Windows 7.