Thinkpads Forum

VERY interesting. I'll have to Google for a pic.

davidspalding wrote:VERY interesting. I'll have to Google for a pic.

Not if you check my original post where I clearly present the different IBM trackpoint caps... (Or was you post so ironic that i didn't notice it? )

I believe davidspalding is referring to the Dell caps that AlphaKilo470 mentioned.

The first time I saw the soft rim ones, I thought they were mistakes - that the convex part had been scooped out or something, heh.

Anyway, it's a toss up between the classic dome and soft dome ones. Ultimately, though, the soft dome ones won out.

Incidently, I far prefer trackpoints to touchpads. In fact, I always disable my touchbad, so when my R50e didn't come with one, I didn't feel it a great loss, heh.

The only drawback to them is that doing things like playing Starcraft kinda makes your wrist tired... more so than a regular mouse would..

tfflivemb2 wrote:I believe davidspalding is referring to the Dell caps that AlphaKilo470 mentioned.

Yyyyyyyep.

For those looking to buy JUST the classic cap, I found a [edit] private dealer of old Model M keyboards who sells them.

http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cf ... /id/150695

For me, I really like the soft dome (the default), but the larger size makes me hit it almost every time I want to type "b", so I use the smaller classic dome.

Soft Dome.
Its the one that came already attached. So i havnt really tryed the other ones yet. I will do though.

I like the soft dome the best (I still like the "cat's tongue" caps as well and have about two dozen new ones)...I have to replace them often "OCD" when it comes to them getting crummy (the soft dome are easy to clean..but they do wear out)

The soft rim I hate!!!!

I'm surprised no one mentioned option D:

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/2889/nullpointer1aq.jpg

benz wrote:I'm surprised no one mentioned option D:

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/2889/nullpointer1aq.jpg

Well, if you have REALLY small fingers...

benz wrote:I'm surprised no one mentioned option D:

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/2889/nullpointer1aq.jpg

... tried it that way, no fun at all!

I noticed that with my dad's T42 2374 you can push down on the trackpoint to click, but on my T42 2373 you can't. When did they introduce that feature?

In my experience, the soft rim ones are the longest lasting ones. I have worn the bumps off of some of the soft domes and killed a few classics.

The HP business laptops have a soft dome type too, but they won't work on the Lenovo since the HPs attach onto a screw type brass stem.

laz wrote:I noticed that with my dad's T42 2374 you can push down on the trackpoint to click, but on my T42 2373 you can't. When did they introduce that feature?

This feature is called "Press-to-select" and should be configurable on any T4x model, in the Ultranav control panel (which you can access through Control Panel -> Mouse).

dr_st wrote:This feature is called "Press-to-select" and should be configurable on any T4x model, in the Ultranav control panel (which you can access through Control Panel -> Mouse).

Do you actually use that "press-to-select" function? I am almost unable to perform select actions by pressing the trackpoint; most of the time it just moves the pointer away from what I want to select

lowie wrote:

dr_st wrote:This feature is called "Press-to-select" and should be configurable on any T4x model, in the Ultranav control panel (which you can access through Control Panel -> Mouse).

Do you actually use that "press-to-select" function? I am almost unable to perform select actions by pressing the trackpoint; most of the time it just moves the pointer away from what I want to select

I don't use it. I hate it. It is the same feature that annoys me on touchpads - very easy to trigger unintentionally.

I move the pointer with my index finger and click with my thumb. Very easy.

lowie wrote:Do you actually use that "press-to-select" function? I am almost unable to perform select actions by pressing the trackpoint; most of the time it just moves the pointer away from what I want to select

I've had that on OTHER laptops, and I've found that I could lightly tap on it to select or double-click. Worked fine after < 1 hour's experimentation.

BTW, you can disable the tap-select feature on the Touchpad, I think. In the version on my T43, that is. I might be thinking of click-drag, though. (Don't have my TP here with me.)

I've ordered a set of extras and gave the soft dome a shot. I that with the soft dome I'm able to set the trackpoint to a much higher speed and control it more accurately than with the classic cats tongue.

Although it doesn't grip as well when my hand sweats and it seems to be sort of coushy it is definitely worth the extra speed and accuracy gained.

davidspalding wrote:BTW, you can disable the tap-select feature on the Touchpad, I think. In the version on my T43, that is. I might be thinking of click-drag, though. (Don't have my TP here with me.)

Of course you can, but it renders the touchpad unusable.

It does? I have disabled it several times and it didn't render the touchpad unusable.

christopher_wolf wrote:It does? I have disabled it several times and it didn't render the touchpad unusable.

Just IMO that is. As much as I think that touchpad is a pathetic pointing device as a whole, I think that without press-to-select it is completely worthless.

lowie wrote:

dr_st wrote:This feature is called "Press-to-select" and should be configurable on any T4x model, in the Ultranav control panel (which you can access through Control Panel -> Mouse).

Do you actually use that "press-to-select" function? I am almost unable to perform select actions by pressing the trackpoint; most of the time it just moves the pointer away from what I want to select

I find that press-to-select works best with soft rim since the center is concave and easy to press down and doesn't lead to a side movement.

When I remove my trackpoint cap, the little black plastic part under it also comes off and I see the tiny stick of the trackpoint device itself. Is this normal? Should I glue the plastic part back?

I don't think that part is supposed to come off too, just the rubber.

FRiC wrote:When I remove my trackpoint cap, the little black plastic part under it also comes off and I see the tiny stick of the trackpoint device itself. Is this normal? Should I glue the plastic part back?

Not normal. Don't know what you should do, though.

What to do ... call IBM for a new keyboard (depends on status of your warranty).