3 ms·

I'm just surprised that people feel so passionately about touchpads/trackpads. Apple can have the best one, sure, I believe it. But they still are bad pointin

by RajT88 3y ago

I'm just surprised that people feel so passionately about touchpads/trackpads. Apple can have the best one, sure, I believe it. But they still are bad pointing devices as a type of pointing device. People have gotten used to them, because what else can you really fit into a laptop?

herval 3y ago
It's not a bad pointing device, that's the thing. I can use a Mac with a trackpad for pretty much anything, including image editing. It's precise, doesn't do ghost clicks/taps, and it's BIG I never found a non-Mac with a trackpad I could use _at all_. I always need a mouse to use my windows laptop...
- _ZeD_ 3y ago
  Yeah try playing doom
  - fredoliveira 3y ago
    Hopefully you don't mean original doom, because if you do, boy do I have a surprise for you ;-)
    - miffe 3y ago
      I'm curious what the surprise is? Is og doom actually playable with a trackpad?
      - braymundo 3y ago
        Keyboard only.
        mrob 3y ago
        False. The installer lets you choose between keyboard only, keyboard + mouse, and keyboard + joystick. According to John Romero, keyboard + mouse was intended: https://twitter.com/romero/status/473587688977596416 https://twitter.com/romero/status/473587688977596416
    - pmontra 3y ago
      Wasn't that keyboard only?
      - mrob 3y ago
        Mouse was always the best way to play. Doom comes with demo files that are obviously recorded using mouse, and the manual clearly recommends using it. It also supports keyboard only play, but this is in no way the "intended" method.
- RajT88 3y ago
  These days, even mice annoy me. Trackball or bust. Trackpads are better than touchscreen interfaces though.
  - jwells89 3y ago
    I find touchscreens fine in the right form factor (handheld, mainly), but I’ll never get the appeal of a touchscreen on a device running a desktop OS. Reaching up to touch a laptop screen feels awkward and laptop screens are some of the worst when it comes to rejecting fingerprints.
    - themadturk 3y ago
      Plus, even if the manufacturer gets on board with an OS that is truly touch-friendly on a laptop, getting all the software manufacturers to also update their UIs for touch will be a long, long haul, I'm afraid.
- tstrimple 3y ago
  The only time I reach for a mouse on my mac is for gaming. It just doesn't feel necessary or helpful otherwise, even when using at a desk with plenty of room.
- 0_____0 3y ago
  I've designed non-trivial mechanical components in Solidworks on an Intel Macbook using the trackpad. Arrow keys to spin the model. Having a mouse is better but the trackpad is much better than using a mouse on a poor surface while mobile.
- Aerbil313 3y ago
  Really? For example as a software dev using Linux as a daily driver (so no gaming), would I not need a mouse at all with a Mac? (considering buying one)
  - pmontra 3y ago
    Why do you need a mouse to write software? I didn't use a mouse since at least 2006. Before that I was mandated to use one by the company I was working for but I probably didn't. Why should I lose time to move my hand to grab the mouse when it's already close to the touchpad? I connected a mouse a few times to play some casual game but I'm not playing games anymore on my laptop.
    - Aerbil313 3y ago
      I'm a keyboard extremist myself, not wanting to touch even the trackpad. Still there are some things where I can't overcome the need to use a pointer device (some GUI apps etc.). It'd be nice to not worry about carrying one more thing (mouse) in my bag, if Mac trackpads are as good as they say, which they prob are.
    - hyperdimension 3y ago
      This is going to be extremely off-topic, but I'm just too terribly curious: the company mandated the use of the mouse? Do you mean that figuratively, as in your tasks were a lot harder to do without a mouse or did they actually make you use one for something like RSI concerns?
      - pmontra 3y ago
        It was regulations, same ones that mandate the use of a five wheels chair with armrests. I remember we had to connect the laptop to a monitor and a mouse. I don't remember if we had a docking station and a keyboard too.
  - dsego 3y ago
    No need for a mouse at all.
bitwize 3y ago
Other manufacturers' trackpads are a compromise vs. having a mouse. Apple trackpads are a mouse replacement. There are literally people who have a Magic Trackpad instead of a mouse for desktop use. That's how good the Apple stuff is.
- semireg 3y ago
  I haven’t used a mouse since the first magic trackpads came out. Coincidentally, I have avoided RSI ever since abandoning mice and trackballs. Part of me feels that apple magic trackpads saved me from a lifetime of pain. They are that good.
filoleg 3y ago
> But they still are bad pointing devices as a type of pointing device. The Apple one is so good though, it convinced me to buy their dedicated desktop trackpad for when my laptop is docked and I work on my large monitor at the desk. It got to the point where I prefer their trackpad for literally everything I do on my desktop, with games being the only exception. Though I am still fine and good with using a mouse. Trackpads on windows laptops though, it feels insufferable in comparison.
karaterobot 3y ago
> because what else can you really fit into a laptop? The nipple! I have no idea what IBM actually called it, but that's what it was. I would take it 10 times out of 10 over a touchpad (which I appreciate but cannot use properly)
- lloeki 3y ago
  Trackpoint
dsego 3y ago
They sell a desktop version and there are people that use it instead of a mouse. It supports complex gestures and probably causes less stress on your wrist than a mouse. I'd say it's on par.
samuria 3y ago
Not sure about the "bad pointing devices" thing. I have a very nice Logitech mouse and keyboard setup, but still prefer to use the Macbook touchpad while connected to an external display. They're just perfect in every sense.

by RajT88 3y ago

herval 3y ago

It's not a bad pointing device, that's the thing. I can use a Mac with a trackpad for pretty much anything, including image editing. It's precise, doesn't do ghost clicks/taps, and it's BIG I never found a non-Mac with a trackpad I could use _at all_. I always need a mouse to use my windows laptop...

_ZeD_ 3y ago
Yeah try playing doom
- fredoliveira 3y ago
  Hopefully you don't mean original doom, because if you do, boy do I have a surprise for you ;-)
  - miffe 3y ago
    I'm curious what the surprise is? Is og doom actually playable with a trackpad?
    - braymundo 3y ago
      Keyboard only.
      - mrob 3y ago
        False. The installer lets you choose between keyboard only, keyboard + mouse, and keyboard + joystick. According to John Romero, keyboard + mouse was intended: https://twitter.com/romero/status/473587688977596416 https://twitter.com/romero/status/473587688977596416
  - pmontra 3y ago
    Wasn't that keyboard only?
    - mrob 3y ago
      Mouse was always the best way to play. Doom comes with demo files that are obviously recorded using mouse, and the manual clearly recommends using it. It also supports keyboard only play, but this is in no way the "intended" method.
RajT88 3y ago
These days, even mice annoy me. Trackball or bust. Trackpads are better than touchscreen interfaces though.
- jwells89 3y ago
  I find touchscreens fine in the right form factor (handheld, mainly), but I’ll never get the appeal of a touchscreen on a device running a desktop OS. Reaching up to touch a laptop screen feels awkward and laptop screens are some of the worst when it comes to rejecting fingerprints.
  - themadturk 3y ago
    Plus, even if the manufacturer gets on board with an OS that is truly touch-friendly on a laptop, getting all the software manufacturers to also update their UIs for touch will be a long, long haul, I'm afraid.
tstrimple 3y ago
The only time I reach for a mouse on my mac is for gaming. It just doesn't feel necessary or helpful otherwise, even when using at a desk with plenty of room.
0_____0 3y ago
I've designed non-trivial mechanical components in Solidworks on an Intel Macbook using the trackpad. Arrow keys to spin the model. Having a mouse is better but the trackpad is much better than using a mouse on a poor surface while mobile.
Aerbil313 3y ago
Really? For example as a software dev using Linux as a daily driver (so no gaming), would I not need a mouse at all with a Mac? (considering buying one)
- pmontra 3y ago
  Why do you need a mouse to write software? I didn't use a mouse since at least 2006. Before that I was mandated to use one by the company I was working for but I probably didn't. Why should I lose time to move my hand to grab the mouse when it's already close to the touchpad? I connected a mouse a few times to play some casual game but I'm not playing games anymore on my laptop.
  - Aerbil313 3y ago
    I'm a keyboard extremist myself, not wanting to touch even the trackpad. Still there are some things where I can't overcome the need to use a pointer device (some GUI apps etc.). It'd be nice to not worry about carrying one more thing (mouse) in my bag, if Mac trackpads are as good as they say, which they prob are.
  - hyperdimension 3y ago
    This is going to be extremely off-topic, but I'm just too terribly curious: the company mandated the use of the mouse? Do you mean that figuratively, as in your tasks were a lot harder to do without a mouse or did they actually make you use one for something like RSI concerns?
    - pmontra 3y ago
      It was regulations, same ones that mandate the use of a five wheels chair with armrests. I remember we had to connect the laptop to a monitor and a mouse. I don't remember if we had a docking station and a keyboard too.
- dsego 3y ago
  No need for a mouse at all.

bitwize 3y ago

Other manufacturers' trackpads are a compromise vs. having a mouse. Apple trackpads are a mouse replacement. There are literally people who have a Magic Trackpad instead of a mouse for desktop use. That's how good the Apple stuff is.

semireg 3y ago
I haven’t used a mouse since the first magic trackpads came out. Coincidentally, I have avoided RSI ever since abandoning mice and trackballs. Part of me feels that apple magic trackpads saved me from a lifetime of pain. They are that good.

filoleg 3y ago

> But they still are bad pointing devices as a type of pointing device. The Apple one is so good though, it convinced me to buy their dedicated desktop trackpad for when my laptop is docked and I work on my large monitor at the desk. It got to the point where I prefer their trackpad for literally everything I do on my desktop, with games being the only exception. Though I am still fine and good with using a mouse. Trackpads on windows laptops though, it feels insufferable in comparison.

karaterobot 3y ago

> because what else can you really fit into a laptop? The nipple! I have no idea what IBM actually called it, but that's what it was. I would take it 10 times out of 10 over a touchpad (which I appreciate but cannot use properly)

lloeki 3y ago
Trackpoint

dsego 3y ago

They sell a desktop version and there are people that use it instead of a mouse. It supports complex gestures and probably causes less stress on your wrist than a mouse. I'd say it's on par.

samuria 3y ago

Not sure about the "bad pointing devices" thing. I have a very nice Logitech mouse and keyboard setup, but still prefer to use the Macbook touchpad while connected to an external display. They're just perfect in every sense.