I went back to a trackball maybe two years back and it is glorious. For whatever reason, my family had trackballs growing up and then I never had one as an adult.
I had a Microsoft thumb trackball growing up and it was so good. There’s a Logitech with a similar design, but it doesn’t have the same feel. At work, I’ve been using a Kensington Expert and loving it. I don’t know how people use regular mice.
I have the Elecom DEFT Pro, which is a finger trackball, but Elecom make thumb trackballs too. I’d never heard of them before I started looking at the current state of the trackball market and took a risk, but have been happy. And they make a left-handed one, believe it or not.
A decent affordable mechanical keyboard is a huge ergonomics upgrade. My partner needed a new more compact keyboard for her setup and it needed to not have an unpleasant sound (she’s never previously used a keyboard that is both comfortable to type on and listen to) so we got her a well reviewed £50 one (which for us was a big investment) with hotswappable MXred clone switches. It’s already great for her day to day use. Nice comfortable feel, quiet and pleasing sound, cool lights etc but it’s also a really affordable platform to modify into something more special and specialized if she feels she needs it (or just fancies doing so with Christmas money etc). I’ve been trying to ignore how much nicer it is than the alright membrane one that came with a Dell PC about 15 years ago but I’ve had to use both one after another today and it’s really striking just how much more pleasant one is than the other. I spent a long time trying to resist the urge to replace my “functional” keyboard with something actively pleasant to use but I think I may be asking for something that doesn’t feel actively unpleasant and fatiguing to use next-time someone wants to know what I might like for a birthday/Christmas.
If it’s actively unpleasant and fatiguing then I think that’s a good enough excuse to replace it, especially if it’s 15 years old. You got your money’s worth and used the product for a long time. There’s no shame in upgrading!
It’s not not something I intend to do. It’s just how far down the list of priorities it is on a limited budget. I am increasingly sure there’s a significant difference in utility between what I have and something better though so that does push it up the list a little.
I agree, but I would add that ditching the mouse altogether is the ultimate luxury of ergonomic computing.
Regular mice hurt my wrists, and most of my computing is related to text input anyway. As a touch-typer, I prefer not looking at my hands and do as few movements as possible with my fingers.
I am also proficient in Linux, which allowed me to customize my os in ways that are not as common on Windows and OS X.
Everything I use is keyboard-driven: my work, my browsing, my window and desktop management, my communication. I use an ergonomic wireless split keyboard that fits perfectly in my hoodie pockets. In a couple of years I hope to build a computer I could comfortably wear on my body without sacrificing anything from my regular workflows.
There is something soothing and engaging at the same time in being able to do anything on a computer, while being locked in a position of comfort, as long as I can see the screen. Any space that fits my screen and me together can become a comfortable working space with a little fiddling.
I realize that, however cool and nice-feeling and safe it may be, this style of computing is inaccessible to most people. Most of our hardware and software is not designed for this, so I had to build a lot of things myself, and apply customizations to things I re-use. Even if it was accessible and simple, it still is not affordable: I am extremely lucky to have a lifestyle that allows me to tinker with my work tools like this.
I use the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard which has a touchpad, trackball, or thinkpad nubbin thing that can be installed for your right thumb. Definitely still luxury priced though.
A great keyboard, a good mouse, a laaaaaarge mouse pad.
I use those things throughout most of the day, why not make it enjoyable.
I went back to a trackball maybe two years back and it is glorious. For whatever reason, my family had trackballs growing up and then I never had one as an adult.
I made the switch several years ago and never looked back. Trackballs are wonderful. I splurged on a Logitech MX Ergo Plus. So nice.
I had a Microsoft thumb trackball growing up and it was so good. There’s a Logitech with a similar design, but it doesn’t have the same feel. At work, I’ve been using a Kensington Expert and loving it. I don’t know how people use regular mice.
I have the Elecom DEFT Pro, which is a finger trackball, but Elecom make thumb trackballs too. I’d never heard of them before I started looking at the current state of the trackball market and took a risk, but have been happy. And they make a left-handed one, believe it or not.
A decent affordable mechanical keyboard is a huge ergonomics upgrade. My partner needed a new more compact keyboard for her setup and it needed to not have an unpleasant sound (she’s never previously used a keyboard that is both comfortable to type on and listen to) so we got her a well reviewed £50 one (which for us was a big investment) with hotswappable MXred clone switches. It’s already great for her day to day use. Nice comfortable feel, quiet and pleasing sound, cool lights etc but it’s also a really affordable platform to modify into something more special and specialized if she feels she needs it (or just fancies doing so with Christmas money etc). I’ve been trying to ignore how much nicer it is than the alright membrane one that came with a Dell PC about 15 years ago but I’ve had to use both one after another today and it’s really striking just how much more pleasant one is than the other. I spent a long time trying to resist the urge to replace my “functional” keyboard with something actively pleasant to use but I think I may be asking for something that doesn’t feel actively unpleasant and fatiguing to use next-time someone wants to know what I might like for a birthday/Christmas.
If it’s actively unpleasant and fatiguing then I think that’s a good enough excuse to replace it, especially if it’s 15 years old. You got your money’s worth and used the product for a long time. There’s no shame in upgrading!
It’s not not something I intend to do. It’s just how far down the list of priorities it is on a limited budget. I am increasingly sure there’s a significant difference in utility between what I have and something better though so that does push it up the list a little.
I agree, but I would add that ditching the mouse altogether is the ultimate luxury of ergonomic computing.
Regular mice hurt my wrists, and most of my computing is related to text input anyway. As a touch-typer, I prefer not looking at my hands and do as few movements as possible with my fingers.
I am also proficient in Linux, which allowed me to customize my os in ways that are not as common on Windows and OS X.
Everything I use is keyboard-driven: my work, my browsing, my window and desktop management, my communication. I use an ergonomic wireless split keyboard that fits perfectly in my hoodie pockets. In a couple of years I hope to build a computer I could comfortably wear on my body without sacrificing anything from my regular workflows.
There is something soothing and engaging at the same time in being able to do anything on a computer, while being locked in a position of comfort, as long as I can see the screen. Any space that fits my screen and me together can become a comfortable working space with a little fiddling.
I realize that, however cool and nice-feeling and safe it may be, this style of computing is inaccessible to most people. Most of our hardware and software is not designed for this, so I had to build a lot of things myself, and apply customizations to things I re-use. Even if it was accessible and simple, it still is not affordable: I am extremely lucky to have a lifestyle that allows me to tinker with my work tools like this.
So I guess it is a kind of luxury.
I use the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard which has a touchpad, trackball, or thinkpad nubbin thing that can be installed for your right thumb. Definitely still luxury priced though.