Just saw a video of a giant trackball, and I started to wonder if it would make sense for me to build one. Clicking would be a problem, but 99% of the time when I'm trackballing around, I have my other hand on the keyboard, and could click there. Most things handle two mice doing coordinated gymnastics...| asylum.madhouse-project.org
Ran across the Unimouse today, a tentable mouse. Not a trackball, but the tenting solution looks interesting, could use it as an inspiration.| asylum.madhouse-project.org
The M570 arrived yesterday, and I was able to spend a few hours casually testing it, trying to get used to the thumb-operated ball. It's not going too well. While I like the form, and the feel of controlling the ball with my thumb, my precision plummeted, and I keep wanting to click with my thumb. Both on my Orbit, and on my keyboards, I "click" with my thumb a lot. Not being able to do that on the M570 feels awkward.| asylum.madhouse-project.org
In my first post about trackballs, I wrote that I wish to use the ball to scroll, while holding a button. Today, Lenz Grimmer on the #keyboardio IRC channel pointed me to the right direction, his short HOWTO on how do accomplish this under linux, with any trackball or mouse.| asylum.madhouse-project.org
Thanks to a colleague who noticed it, I bought myself a Logitech M570 for about half price, so I can experiment with thumb-controlled trackballs. At this price, it was worth it for the sake of experimenting, I believe.| asylum.madhouse-project.org
I came across a video this morning, that showed how to build a simple MIDI controller. It has buttons, knobs, and a lot of things my trackball will have too. It is also a whole lot easier to build, so I might build something like it first, to practice and experiment.| asylum.madhouse-project.org
All my keyboards at home have silent, non-clicky switches, except one prototype which has Kailh Greens. This is good, because I do not like noisy keyboards, and have no use for the click (I'm listening to music anyway). Yet, our twins love the sound of the switches. However, I need to return the prototype, and will not have any clicky boards at home then. This led me down a thought process that started with building a clicky keyboard, and ended up with asking myself this: what if I made the t...| asylum.madhouse-project.org
Which led me to try operating my Orbit with my thumb. It was a huge disappointment. Movement speed was abysmal. You see, when using fingers, I usually use three: index, middle, and ring. If I want to move the cursor far away, I'll just roll all three over the ball. Nice and easy. But with a thumb-operated ball, I can't do that, I only have one thumb per hand (and frankly, I don't mind that). So if I go down this route, I will need to build it so that it can spin more freely, to allow me to cr...| asylum.madhouse-project.org
Buttons! With a gripping setup, arcade-style buttons are out, which makes me sad, as they looked awesome. Perhaps I can find a good place for them anyway? But I digress. For the real buttons, I'm now considering Kailh Low Profile Browns, with suitable caps. I do want to use a mechanical switch for the mouse buttons, at least the left & right one. If I end up with a hand-base bar or something similar, that may end up being non-mechanical.| asylum.madhouse-project.org
I've been thinking about LEDs. I definitely do not want a LED under the ball, but perhaps they could be useful under the buttons? And while there, what about underglow? Between the two, I think underglow would make the more sense, and it would be the least disturbing too.| asylum.madhouse-project.org
Started experimenting with the idea of a thumb-operated trackball, in a more serious manner. As in, I took my Kensington Orbit, tilted it, and tried how it feels to roll the ball with my thumb. It wasn't terribly bad. This opens up the possibility of more experiments, and more designs.| asylum.madhouse-project.org
Today this thread happened to come my way, and it gave me so many ideas to ponder about!| asylum.madhouse-project.org
For the past couple of days, I've been pondering about how I would mount the ball, and this may very well end up being the hardest part. I do not have a 3D printer, nor do I have easy access to one, so prototyping will be a bit hard.| asylum.madhouse-project.org
This is not how it all started. It all started with a picture, and then some brain dumping. I put the idea aside after writing a blog post about it. But last night, when I was casually browsing around, half asleep, I failed a saving throw as we say it. Having failed it, I had no other choice, but to pursue the idea further, and that's how the first sketch was born:| asylum.madhouse-project.org
For the past year and a little more, I have been consciously building a better working environment at home. I bought an adjustable standing/sitting desk, because I find standing more comfortable, it allows me to walk around easily (which I do often, while thinking), and being adjustable, if I get tired, or if I'm playing games, I just lower it and sit.| asylum.madhouse-project.org