Learning curve for Trackpoint ?

[ This has probably been asked several times a day for the last ten years, but I couldn't turn up anything with a Google search, so forgive me if you just can't take it anymore ;-) I've just always been curious. . . as an imminent Lenovo buyer]

It seems there is almost universal praise for the trackpoint among Lenovo/IBM laptop users, but whenever I've used them, albeit briefly, it's always been a bit awkward.

So I ask, do most people find the same awkward experience at first, but that there is a bit of a learning curve before you're more efficient with it than the touchpad ?

I'm curious, about how long does it take before you'd say you're efficient with it, accurately going right to where you want and not overshooting the mark or having to home in on it ?

Thanks,
Kent

 

30 seconds.

 

My first laptop was a dell latitude C810 which had a similar trackpoint system, and I got used to it almost instantly. Didn't take me more than one session on it to become proficient in it. Albeit, that was a dell, and this is a thinkpad, but I reckon it won't take me any time at all to adjust to the trackpoint on my new T60 I ordered...

 

It seemed awkward at first but after a few minutes and I learned what it is capable of it is all I use. I almost wish the touch pad wasn't there. I find myself looking for the trackpoint on my desktop only to be frustrated it doesn't have one now.

 

I prefer not to use the Trackpoint. Its always been awkward so I've elected to not even mess with it and stick with the Touchpad. With that said, before I owned a laptop, I had an aversion to using a Touchpad. Now, I prefer to use it over a mouse when I have the option. If I HAD to switch to the Trackpoint, I don't believe it would be too big of an issue.

 

I try to make the TrackPoint suitably responsive for my needs by doing the following two things:

1.
Press the ThinkVantage button, and:

!ThinkVantage Productivity Center
!Control device settings
!Select input device settings
!Manage Settings..
!Modify TrackPoint Setting
[to] Sensitivity: Level 9 of 9

And:

2.
[XP] Start!Control Panel!Mouse!Pointer Options![Motion] Fast


And I also sometimes switch between TrackPoint, external mouse and trackpad if I'm doing extensive mouse-related tasks so that it's easier on the hand.

I'm sold on the TrackPoint from a historical perspective: for over 10 years it was the only game in town if you wanted pixel-level accuracy on a notebook mouse (or any mouse--they make Trackpoint desktop keyboards too). The only competitor now is an external laser-diode mouse. (Sun Microsystems was selling diode mice in the early 90s but a lot of good that did for Win/Apple.)

 

thanks, I had turned windows sensitivity to fast, but didn't realize I could turn the sensitivity up within ThankVantage as well...

=)

 

I've always HATED the touchpad, so I warmed up to the TrackPoint pretty quickly. Still, that said, it took me a few days of using it exclusively to get very proficient with it. I have my touchpad turned off all the time now, but I still use a small travel mouse when working with Photoshop or playing games.

 

I use both interchangeably, but tend to prefer the trackpoint. All my laptops have had one (my Dell came with one and it really grew on me, part of the reason I chose my now-gone HP was that it had one too) and now, of course, my T60 has it.
I think the trackpad is 100% intuitive (my mom actually found the trackpad slide/tap scheme so intuitive she didn't even realize there were mouse buttons on her computer for days) and the trackpoint is slightly less-so.
I think I'm more productive, slightly, with the trackpad due to easier (imo) scrolling, on my T60. Just press the middle mouse button and you're scrolling.

FWIW my roommate is a diehard Thinkpad user (he got his 15" T42 after his G3 powerbook) and he went so far as to pull the little trackpoint nub off he dislikes it so much.

It's really a preference thing; I get thrown off when I use a laptop that doesn't have one (sort of like the feeling I get when I drive an automatic transmission car after driving my manual so much).

 

I would encourage anyone to give trackpoint some time it before you decide to use the trackpad.

the thing about trackpoint is your fingers never leave the legendary ibm keyboard, unlike the trackpad. that alone is incentive for you to use the trackpoint.

the trackpoint and the keyboard is one of the key features which makes the thinkpad such a good machine, raising the "switching cost" so consumers like me will stick with this brand. And why not? the thinkpad is so darn sturdy and no frills functional. it just works. I find it to be much better than the macbook.

 

I've always liked how businesslike the ThinkPad has always looked.

The slacker motif of the Macbook has never appealed to me.

 

I'm the original poster. . . Thanks everyone for all the input.

I do want to say that I was just looking for responses like, "Yes, it was a little weird at first but it only took about two days/one week/etc. until it was just like using a mouse."

The thing is, that if it seems a bit awkward at first, before I shell out the big money it'd be nice to know that it becomes pretty natural after a time, or not. And I thought I'd pose the question to get kind of survey of responses.

I have the feeling that some people don't like it at first, but would end up for the better if they just hung in there until it was more reflexive. People that did get the hang of it seem to love it.

 

Well, I may be biased because I used a trackpoint when I was a child, before touchpads even existed. That was at least 15 years ago when I was 10. Trackpoints have been around a LONG time. I used to love using my family's Toshiba laptop. The trackpoint always seemed so second nature. Of course, it did make my finger start to hurt after extended hours of use. But then, when I finally tried using a touchpad about 8 years ago, it felt so sloppy in comparison. I hated how I had to keep dragging my thumb or forefinger around. It was very tiresome compared to the pressure sensitive 'eraser head'.

But WOW, I recently had the opportunity to try out a ThinkPad T60, and my God, the trackpoint is even worlds better than I remembered. They made it larger and softer so there isn't even a hit of pain. So yes, I am forced to choose a Thinkpad over any other brand because I could never imagine being forced to use a touchpad. I would have to carry a mouse with me everywhere I went.

 

Sometimes I was catching my self not using mouse, even when I had an opportunity. Like somebody said - you really start to like the Trackpoint, when you do a lot a mix of typing, scrolling and mouse navigation.

 

For me there was definately a learning curve, I was quite convinced the Trackpoint would be inferior to a good touchpad. Took a few days though.

I'm still a bit surprised, didn't expect I would start liking it so much, now I certainly prefer it.

 

try to use the trackpoint with the pointng finger of your minor hand (the one that you noticed you do not use much when typing in the keyboard)

i use my left pointing finger. my left hand types on 4-diagonal letters (4X4=16) from Q to R and down... then the other hand types on the right side characters and numbers. i use my left thumb for space bar

i learned to use the trackpoint for about a 2hrs by 7days. of course i tested out what would be more efficient than the two pointers and i came to the conclusion that the trackpoint suits me better than the trackpoint. other users have said it and i will say to that it is more advantageous for your hand to never leave the keyboard

 

I have the x60 which only has the trackpoint. Once you fiddle with the settings to your liking you will never go back to touchpad. I don't even like using a mouse anymore.

Took me a day to really get the hang of it. Now I'm more accurate with it then a mouse if that sounds possible.

 

Thanks, you last three posters (well, and everyone else of course), but more or less that answers my question. It's obviously a superior way to get around the screen - just takes a little while to get used to it.

 

I've only had my T60p for about a day as far as actual usage and never had a computer with a track point before. I found the track point very intuitive and far easier to operate quickly and efficiently than the track pad. In large part it's an issue of dexterity. If your fingers are nimble enough to type, however, you should be able to handle the trackpoint w/o much of a learning curve.

 

Indeed.
Intuitive is a good word to use to describe it. After a bit of practice, you find yourself decelerating the cursor by relaxing your finger without even realizing it, and toggling those check boxes like mad.

I also like the fact that it has the middle mouse button as well for those page scrolls.

 

I love using it, it keeps my hands on the keyboard and the center scroll button really is a nice feature. It def. takes a little while to get used to, but my next laptop will have to have a trackpoint.