Pointing device of choice

Trackpad, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, Wacom tablet, Other?
Just out of curiosity, what is your Glyphs editing device of choice?
Right now I use a Wacom tablet but I’ve been interested in the Magic trackpad.
Do you find what you use to have certain advantages over others such as ergonomics, speed, gestures/shortcuts, etc…?

Converting to a Wacom tablet about 4 years ago got rid of all my lower arm pain from using a mouse, so there’s that.

I use keyboard, mouse, trackpad, in that order.

I like the gestures on the trackpad. Zooming and panning mainly, but also switching between screens or revealing the desktop or showing all windows.

I have an oldschool wooden SWEDX mouse, large, with a scroll wheel and two buttons. I find it pretty precise.

A trackball! Yes…
I had Wacom tablets, Magic Mouse (the worst mouse i had ever), Magic Trackpad, regular Logitech laser mouse…
I sold most of these after a few months with the trackball. I still have the trackpad since nobody really wanted it and it’s good for sofa time. The new huge built-in trackpads are very nice and do the job on the go.

I never even touched a trackball but when the Logitech MX ERGO was released i wanted to give it a try.
It’s very comfortable to use – your hand rests naturally on it and since i use it i don’t have any hand cramps/pain. What is most different and awesome is that you don’t have to move it around the desk – a godsend for those with small or cluttered desks.

I can program more gestures than on the trackpad so there is no loss in functionality. Zooming and panning is not as smooth as on the trackpad but it’s still usable.
I would highly recommend this to everyone but keep in mind you need a few weeks to accommodate.

And of course a PS4 controller for kerning :wink:

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I’ve been using the classic Kensington trackball for over twenty years and it never stops being good: https://www.kensington.com/us/us/4493/k64325/expert-mouse-wired-trackball

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I use the Apple keyboard, a simple logitech corded laser mouse which I have removed the lead weight from to make it lighter, the Macbook pro trackpad when on the go and the Elgato Stream Deck for custom shortcuts and kerning/spacing (which is a formidable tool if you like to have a virtually unlimited number of shortcuts visually arranged https://www.elgato.com/en/gaming/stream-deck). I actually wonder why I haven’t seen more type designers mention this before. I also have a Wacom tablet but only use it for photo retouching as it simply isn’t precise enough for mouse work in my opinion (that moment the stylus touches the surface the cursor moves a few pixels, that drives me nuts). I have also tried the Apple magic mouse and find it to be extremely uncomfortable to hold more than a minute, but I like the gestures though.

All that being said, I am looking for a new mouse (or trackpad-like) input device that is easier on the hand and wrist. I have to say I mainly do layout in InDesign (thousands of precise clicks a day) and only about maybe 20% Glyphs work.

There are lots of people using video game controllers with MetricsMachine. Andy Clymer even had custom PCBs made just for this purpose and gave them out at the last Robothon.

@Tosche had a game controller set up for kerning in Glyphs. I believe all it needed was a system preference for assigning keyboard combinations. IIRC he used the Konami code for deleting all kerning :slight_smile:

Yep, I’m using a PS3 controler for kerning. I use USB Overdrive to set it up.
Interesting responces. I never concidered a trackball. May have to look into one.

Maybe someday we’ll go into VR and phisically manipulate our curves like pushing a free floating string around. :upside_down_face:

I tried the Magic Mouse when it was first introduced in 2009. It gave me pain in my hand, so I went back to the Mighty Mouse (the one with the tiny trackball that stops working because of finger oils until it is cleaned).

Then, about a year later, I got an iMac that included a Magic Mouse. This time when I tried it, it was fine. No pain. I don’t know what the problem was with the first one, but I’ve been using the Magic Mouse or Magic Mouse 2 ever since with no issues.

I like it because of the lack of moving parts, the trackpad-like features (multi-directional scrolling, tapping, two-finder swipe and tap, etc.), and because it’s wireless. I find it perfectly comfortable to use.

I use the trackpad on my laptop with Glyphs sometimes and it’s fine, but prefer to use a mouse.

For anyone looking at gaming controllers, I cannot recommend ControllerMate enough. USBOverdrive is classic and simple, but the level of controls CM offers is truly wonderful.

I have been looking at Leap Motion for the possibility of motion-based kerning control, but the SDK was a mess (both Python and Obj-C) and I stopped putting effort.

Also for anyone wanting to get rid of arm pain, keeping your wrist vertical can be very helpful. I recommend that you investigate vertical or pen-shaped mice as well.
https://www.posturite.co.uk/ergonomic-mice/vertical-mice.html

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