Does anyone else use a trackball mouse?

[index]

I recently got one, originally intended to substitute for my school-assigned laptop's horrible peripherals, after they replaced the trackpoint/nub mouse equipped laptops. (Trackpoints, by the way, are wonderful.) Terrible chiclet keyboard with almost no tactile feedback, and stupid trackpad that uses non-standard gestures to do pretty much anything other than left clicking and pointing. But, before I had even began to use it with that laptop, I tested it out on my PC and decided I'd keep it there, using my old optical for the school laptop. It was too nice for such a hunk of junk like an education Chromebook.


It was very nice to use, very smooth, and felt far more ergonomic than a regular optical mouse. It was really easy right off the bat, but accuracy and mastering took a few days until it became second nature for me. I'm now able to do everything I normally do at the same or greater efficiency as an optical mouse. I can also use the trackball mouse anywhere, due to the fact that it doesn't need a proper surface to be placed on. I can put it in my lap if I so please, or really anywhere.

[kevinb1994]

I haven't used one in a while, but I kinda miss using them. Unfortunately I now have a beat-up Dell Inspiron 15-7559 laptop that no longer has the ability to connect to the internet, which means that I can't really use it with a trackball mouse unless I get it repaired or wait for a new laptop either next year or 2020.

[slorydn1]

I do use one, at work. It is connected to the computer that our radios operate off of. I like it alot better than the regular optical mice that I use for the other 2 computers (phone and CAD) at my workstation.

Sometimes I wish I had one at home, but they can be quite pricey.

[Max Rockatansky]

Still use one at work but I'd replace it if I can get it through on an office expense.

[abefroman329]

I'd have to start using a mousepad and I'd have to remove the trackball to clean out the schmutz that accumulates under it. No thanks. Plus I vastly prefer a wireless mouse, and is there even any such thing as a wireless trackball mouse? That works reliably?

[sparker]

Have both trackball & optical mice for (admittedly old) work Dell desktop.  Optical works better in most browsing situations except when scrolling through vendor sites where specific characteristics (electronics parts) need to be identified out of a list; the trackball makes it easier to pinpoint specific partitions in the specification selectors, whereas the optical tends to "overshoot", meaning you have to swipe the cursor over the desired location more than once. 

On a more trivial note, trackballs work better for down-time games such as solitaire -- on the game loaded onto my computers at home & work, when you have all the cards face-up, you can automatically register a win with a right click and an upward sweep; the optical often doesn't want to register both at the same time, while the trackball has no problem doing the combo. 

Have a friend with a wireless trackball mouse (a Compaq piece); it seems be pretty reliable. 

[index]

I’d have to start using a mousepad and I’d have to remove the trackball to clean out the schmutz that accumulates under it. No thanks. Plus I vastly prefer a wireless mouse, and is there even any such thing as a wireless trackball mouse? That works reliably?

The trackball I use is a wireless one. Also if you're thinking about the kind of mouse that uses the ball at the bottom that you drag around, that wouldn't be it - it's one of these thingies. No mousepad needed as the pointing interface is on the top.

[abefroman329]

I'd have to start using a mousepad and I'd have to remove the trackball to clean out the schmutz that accumulates under it. No thanks. Plus I vastly prefer a wireless mouse, and is there even any such thing as a wireless trackball mouse? That works reliably?

The trackball I use is a wireless one. Also if you're thinking about the kind of mouse that uses the ball at the bottom that you drag around, that wouldn't be it - it's one of these thingies. No mousepad needed as the pointing interface is on the top.

Ah, yes, I see what is meant by "trackball mouse."  I was thinking of something else. If you started computing with a trackball mouse, it'd probably be really hard to get used to a handheld one.

[davewiecking]

Decades ago I had an original "Kensington Expert Mouse"  trackball-the one pictured in Wikipedia's trackball article. Awesome piece of hardware, and could use an actual pool ball as a replacement. I rebuilt my keyboard tray at work to hold it-it's not realistic to use a mouse on a keyboard tray. Great for large spreadsheets, CAD drawings, and the original Railroad Tycoon. Those with ping pong sized balls aren't the same-those are mostly operated with the thumb because the ball's on the side.

[1995hoo]

I have one that looks just like what index posted (might be the same model). I like it a lot. It did take some getting used to at first, and the one thing that is definitely trickier is dragging. There's a setting in Windows to let you click, then scroll, then click again to complete a drag. It makes using a trackball easier.

[MikeTheActuary]

I hate mice, and much prefer trackballs (the Logitech wireless model pictured, in particular).  I really don't like jerking my arm all over the place to move the pointer around. 

I much prefer letting my thumb roll the pointer to where it's needed.'

Does the ball socket have to be cleaned every so often?  Yes.  But that's such a trivial task as to be almost not worth mentioning.