Never figured out how to properly use these. I just find it very akward to put my tongue that close to my keyboard.
I used to have a friend that did R&D at IBM back in the day. Apparently there was a double nubbin version that they considered at one point.
I never actually asked. We just made nipple jokes for 5 minutes.
If I were to guess, it was either a left and right side thing for left and right handed people, or a dual stick for 3 axis control.
Lefty here, the position of the nipple between the GHB keys is pretty convenient to reach with the left hand as well. I do know they made some mice that had a nipple instead of a scroll wheel which would allow for two-axis scrolling, so perhaps you'd assign one for document scrolling and one for cursor control.
We we talking about the early physical prototypes they were making. And when you do that type of R&D, you try lots of weird stuff. You don’t know if it feels good until you try it.
Could’ve been for handedness, then when they played with the prototypes, they realized the middle was the best solution.
Or maybe it felt great, and the nipple jokes were too much.
A pointing stick (or trackpoint, also referred to generically as a nub or nipple) is a small analog stick used as a pointing device typically mounted centrally in a computer keyboard.
Sir, if you keep licking the pointing sticks on our laptops we will have to ask you to leave the store
Me, gay, cave johnson voice: "what am I supposed to do with these?!"
(and no, suprisingly most guys I've been with have at best 0 interest in nipple play 😔)
I still don't get how anyone can efficiently use these. How does your pointer not go all over the place?
Well, like any new user interface paradigm… you adapt to it. And if you don’t like it, don’t use it.
At one point my main computer was a Thinkpad, I got so good at using this that I played total annihilation and mech warrior 5 solely with the nub.
I developed tendonitis from the pressure i'd use with it. I eventually had to remove the nub so that I couldn't use it and forced myself the use the trackpad instead.
Not if you type more frequently than you mouse, so having a pointer right on home row can be super convenient.
I find that after using it, it was faster than taking my hands off the keyboard to engage the trackpad.
You control how fast it goes by how much force you apply. It’s fairly sensitive too so you don’t need to apply too much. If it still goes too fast, you can always turn the mouse speed down :). It’s pretty much like a touchpad but your finger just stays in place and without the bad parts of typical touchpads. It’s been a couple years since I last used these but I remember them being a lot more comfortable and reliable than every touchpad I’ve ever used (except for maybe the one on my MacBook because that one is actually good)
I've already put the sensitivity to the minimum value and I still find it difficult to use but maybe it takes some getting used to
It makes shopping for laptops either super-easy or super-hard.
I can either get a Thinkpad, or try to find the one or two HP and Dell business laptops with one... and we all know how it ends (looks at stack of X230t, E585, and new L13)
It's already hard for me because I personally prefer the US layout, while living in Germany, and most laptops seem to be only available with the German keyboard layouts. And Lenovo has kinda gone to shit after the Chinese takeover too. I just wish the nub would be more common, and not just for business models.
Lenovo starts up in China actually, so there is no "Chinese takeover". By that term you could mean IBM sold their personal computer business(ThinkPad, etc.) to Lenovo.
It is going to be harder and harder in a few years. They already worsened the keyboard and made trackpoint buttons flat like dell ones so we'll all eventually switch back to trackpads or mouses I guess. Too nieche product honestly so I get it but kinda sad :(
OTOH, it is a very effective product distinguisher. They don't have to deal with the "Apple makes the best touchpad" meme by offering something else.
They were great back in the day when trackpads were shite and the option was a tiny trackball on your laptop.
Honey, where's your F2 button? I gotta get to the bios to start installing Linux. You'll really enjoy it!
While not necessary, I do find that mouse can have some niche application, like clicking while smoothly scrolling.
