has the trackball landscape changed in any way lately?

[4sStylZ]

With some interface you want to select by clicking an object, drag it, and zoom / de-zoom for reaching another location fastly.
This is a not so common use-case, but when you can’t do it it’s very frustating.

[matt3o]

okay got a kens expert mostly to look inside and see what I can do with it.

there are mainly 2 mods I could do:

1) replace the ring that activates the optical switch effectively making the scrolling 2x or ever 3x faster. that also means it's easier to activate the scrolling by mistake
2) disable the scroll wheel and add 2 switches that are activated by rotating the wheel by about 5-10degrees on both sides. this way you can use your thumb to rotate the wheel clockwise and use the ball for scrolling. rotating CCW would activate another action (whatever that is)

[zuglufttier]

Regarding the Kensinton Expert: Just removing the magnet inside the housing will make the scroll wheel feel way better!

You can pop it back in later if you don't like the feel.

[matt3o]

Regarding the Kensinton Expert: Just removing the magnet inside the housing will make the scroll wheel feel way better!

You can pop it back in later if you don't like the feel.

mmh can't see any magnet...

[Archie]

Magnet was really bad idea (and its removal a common thing) - so apparently Kensington has stopped installing it in latest Expert batches. I've bought mine several years ago, and it was already without magnet.

[zuglufttier]

Oh, I see, that's a possibilty!

@matt3o: There used to be a magnet inside the housing which created more friction for the scroll wheel. If your scrolling experience is pretty much fluid, then your unit propably does not have one.

[matt3o]

I'm sure I have no magnets but still the scroll wheel is shite

[Archie]

Yes indeed, Expert implementation was a biggest fault. Funny enough, cheap entry-level Orbit have butter-smooth scrollring...

[zuglufttier]

Yep, I hated that scroll wheel, too. I never really found any trackball useful for me, either my thumb or my wrist hurts after a few minutes of use.

But I don't have any problems using normal mice, so I can live with that. But I'm always eager to find new input methods

[daedalus]

Been using a CST Lasertrac as my daily driver for close to a decade - cannot recommend it strongly enough to trackball fans.

[Daniel]

Owning both a CST trackball and a Kensington Slimblade I'm only using the Slimblade since several years now. The distinct feature what I like about the Slimblade compare to the CST is that its flatter and that it has four buttons which are separated from the movement and/or scrolling mechanism. The fourth button has the "Back" function assigned by default under Linux. I really missed the button when using the CST while surfing the internet. The third button has the middle click assigned by default which is great for pasting selected text from the clipboard.

[dionb]

Problem with the Slimblade is scrolling with the whole wheel. Makes it almost impossible to move and scroll at same time. I'm biased as I have a pile of hoarded MS Trackball Explorers, but despite trying pretty much every other trackball out there, only the Elecom Huge comes close, with probably Kensington Orbit as third. Absolutely hate my CST... must be a matter of preference and habituation.

[keyboardist]

Yep, I hated that scroll wheel, too. I never really found any trackball useful for me, either my thumb or my wrist hurts after a few minutes of use.

But I don't have any problems using normal mice, so I can live with that. But I'm always eager to find new input methods

You have to develop whole groups of muscles in your hand to actually handle trackball usage. I went trough that few years ago when I switched from mouse. If you have ben using mouse for years/decades your muscles would have hard time in the beginning. Just like people who start playing piano for the first time. Or who started sculpting in wood. etc.

About gaming on a trackball - I have no idea where that gossip about trackballs being bad for fast FPS games originated from.

I play Quake 3 style aren FPS games using CST L-Trac. I am on the top places for accuracy with minimal effort for hours. Occassionally get banned "for aimboting" because of that.

When you plug it in 1st time you do have to tweak in game settings for pointer device. I typically lower sensitivity (I play on maximum DPI that my trackball offers) and set a little bit of pointer acceleration with an offset.

[crashnburn]

So it seems Mouse/ Mice are bad on the wrist esp with Drag and Drops.

While thumbs fingers focused on moving balls cant easily do drag and drop without some key/ button press or "sticky" signal mechanism.

Maybe track ballers who game can find the best "fast" way for drag and drop. Maybe redesign the button layouts like Custom KBDs