When did you first start using the trackpoint and why?

[dsvochak]

In early November, 1992 I bought a ThinkPad 700 and I’ve been a trackpoint user since. Unlike George I don’t disable the touchpad, I just never use it.

I haven’t owned, or regularly used, a desktop computer since 1998 and have never used an external mouse, keyboard or monitor with a ThinkPad. Apparently, productivity has not been adversely impacted.

[Sleepy664]

When I first got my ThinkPad I've just started naturally using the TrackPoint and I've never looked back, Soft Rim cap is a godsend. I didn't notice a learning curve so I guess I'm quite adoptable. (On the other hand – multitouch touchpad on my ex's U310s was an unadulterated hell for me.)

I'm also using Vimium plugin for Chrome, it makes it a perfect browsing combo.

[Saucey]

I think I got my first ThinkPad around summer of 2012 (joined the forum a few months after).
I disliked touchpads on laptops, I thought they were always annoying, using a mouse was so much better.
This was during the time I was more focused about gaming on PCs, and during the Vista-hungry era of 1-2GB RAM machines being sold.
Those are things that played a part of disliking the touchpad than a standard ball mouse.


Anyways, I when I got my X61T, it was all or nothing, unless I used the touchscreen but that needed a digitizer for my non-multitouch unit.
Been happy ever since I've used the TrackPoint.
Also it is interesting the different incarnations of the TrackPoint as well, some are a bit more stiffer than others.
I am happy with the T30 to X201 era 3 button layout. The early 20 series were kinda odd, I did use the A20m for a little bit but the middle button was a bit flappy. I wasn't used to it, though the point itself felt really solid. A few older machines have that middle button layout, some do not at all...

Since the middle button is used best for srolling for mei, I have to say I LOVE THE MIDDLE BUTTON. It is pure genius.
I think why I disliked older touchpads was that you have to use the right side of it for scrolling.
Two finger scrolling is great, I am quite fond that it works out of the box for Elementary OS.

[Dekks]

My first TP was used primarily to offline program painting robots, PLCs & montitor plant in places a real mouse wouldnt be practical.

[Adda]

I got my first ThinkPad in 2005-6 sometihng like that, a freebie 390, it only has a Trackpoint so it was the only option when a table mouse wasn't practical.
Today I donno what to do without it, using a table mouse is just not practical for day to day tasks.

[rumbero]

My first ever Thinkpad was a T23 and it simply didn't have any other internal pointing device than the trackpoint, so i didn't have any choice back then other then using an external pointing device. Nonetheless, every temporary exposure to trackpad only laptops of friends and colleagues once in a while never made me regret that, ever.

[FluffyBunny]

I bought a T23 last year so I started using the trackpoint, although I was using a USB mouse more often. I then signed up to this forum, and from reading on here, I began using it more & more. I use it almost exclusively now, even if there is a trackpad on the computer.

[jdk]

2007. Pre-deployment training. Liked the Thinkpads (T40 series) and purchased my own from eBay. Was supposed to be SXGA+ but the guy only sent an XGA screen on the T41. Took about a day to learn the trackpoint. So 8 years total.

[MisterB]

When not actively typing, I use the touchpad. I used a mouse with my 770X unless I took it somewhere. I used the trackpoint but only reluctantly when a mouse was too inconvenient to carry around. The 770X's trackpoint is much less responsive than that of later models. When I got my T40, I liked having both a touchpad and a trackpoint and I found the trackpoint and buttons much better than the ones on the 770X. I am forced to use the trackpoint on my X41T and X61T and if I use them for a few hours, I start to use the trackpoint out of habit on my other thinkpads. I go back to the touchpad after a short while.

I would say that I'm not really for or against either but I prefer the touchpad most of the time just like a bilingual person who speaks two languages equally fluently will prefer one over the other. Not having a touchpad has never made me not get a thinkpad. I prefer the X61 to the X201 with its mini touchpad and much faster processor.

[pianowizard]

When I got my T40, I liked having both a touchpad and a trackpoint

I agree 100%. Not counting keyboard shortcuts and external mice, three pointing devices are currently available for laptops: touchpad, trackpoint, and touchscreen. If I am allowed to have just one of these, I would pick the touchpad. But it's nice to have both touchpad and trackpoint, and even better if the screen is touch-sensitive. Sometimes, the trackpoint is just faster than the touchpad, e.g. when I need to move the pointer a very short distance, because by the time I have repositioned my finger to the touchpad, the trackpoint could have already moved the pointer that short distance. (For longer distances though, I find the touchpad faster because after the initial delay, the touchpad quickly catches up with the trackpoint.) And sometimes, the touchscreen beats both trackpoint and touchpad, e.g. scrolling. And even for situations where I know the touchpad is the best way, I might still go for the trackpoint or touchscreen once in a while, either just for fun or to help prevent repetitive strain injury.

Even if you never use touchpads, it's good to have it there because the moment your trackpoint starts to drift randomly, touching the touchpad will stop the drift. If the touchpad is huge and you often accidentally touch it, I think many laptops allow you to change the area of the sensitive zone so that only the very center of the touchpad is responsive.

[KentT]

While I have used both the touchpad and Trackpoint, I find the latter more productive in working life. I also find the ThinkPad keyboard the finest in laptops. I began using the Trackpoint as far back as 1997.

[GomJabbar]

I first started using a TrackPoint on my first laptop, a used ThinkPad 600E. Still have that 600E. Very sweet laptop, but a bit slow by todays standards. Since the 600E I bought a brand new T42, then bought a higher end top-of-the-line T42 from a fellow moderator. Several years later I bought a brand new X220, which is still my main computer.

Never liked touchpads.

[MrMaguire]

My introduction to the TrackPoint was essentially the same as yours, Theokretes. I saw a ThinkPad T42 in a shop window around this time five years ago, and I just had to have it. My previous laptops all had TrackPads only, and I used a desktop mouse whenever I could. I started to use the TrackPoint after finding out what the heck it was, and got used to it in a short time.

I dunno why Pianowizard is being so defensive. TrackPads aren't hard to learn. In fact, they're incredibly easy, and some people even prefer them. For how much I like Dell laptops, their implementation of their TrackPoint equivalent is rubbish. On the D series Latitudes at least. They could never get it right. At any rate, I prefer a nice ball-operated computer mouse to anything else. Preferably a classic Logitech one that isn't cheap plastic garbage with a cable as thin as spaghetti.

Sorry if there's any mistakes. I "typed" this out on my phone.

[Terrahawk]

I first came across a trackpoint on a friend's Thinkpad in 1996. It was one of the older models, a 365 I think. I used it a few times and absolutely hated the trackpoint. I couldn't control it at all and gave up quite quickly. My friend told me the trackpoint was an acquired taste.

Fast forward to 2006. I bought my own first Thinkpad - a R40, because for some reason they were selling really cheap on the secondhand market. I actually wanted a HP something or other. I started using the trackpoint just because it was there and found that it had improved by leaps and bounds in ten years and I could actually control it. Now it's my preferred pointing device overall, but I tend to switch between touchpad and trackpoint depending on what I'm doing. If I am reading documentation or a web site, I prefer to two-finger scroll with the touch pad. If I'm using the laptop intensely, either typing or other forms of content creation, I tend to use the trackpoint. Frankly, I'm extremely thankful that I have an UltraNav, which allows me to switch between the two however I like.