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Upgrading the Basic Stuff
Figure 1-6:
My personal
favorite: the
Microsoft
Natural
Wireless
Laser
Mouse 6000.
Photo courtesy Microsoft Corporation.
Some folks prefer a trackball to a mouse. A trackball is a stationary device
with a large ball resting in a cup on the top. You operate it by turning the
ball with your palm or thumb. I hate ’em.
Some folks like to use a graphics tablet rather than or in addition to a mouse.
You control software with a graphics tablet by touching its surface with
a special stylus. Unlike a mouse, the graphics tablet detects position, not
motion, so you can literally point at the item you want. You can even write
or draw with the stylus. Graphics tablets are popular with serious users
of photo editors and other graphics software, and they’re becoming more
popular since Microsoft started producing “digital ink” programs such as
OneNote, which can read what you write, to a first approximation, anyway.
Many of these applications have special graphics tablet support and can
detect the amount of pressure you’re applying to the stylus. Thus, you can
press hard to draw a wide line, for example, or lightly to draw a thin line.
Tablet PCs — the kind that are designed to be used with a stylus and (almost
invariably) OneNote — aren’t for everyone. Some people love them. Most
people don’t get used to them. I count myself among the latter. If you ever
think about buying a Tablet PC specifically for its note-taking capabilities, try
to borrow one for a day or two before you plunk down the cash. You may find
that the reality doesn’t live up to the glitz. Or, you may find that you love it!
A touchpad is similar to a graphics tablet, but you control it with your finger-
tip rather than a stylus. Touchpads and belly buttons (er, pointer sticks) are
common on notebook computers. You “click” by tapping the pad. A touch-
pad is convenient for moving the pointer around the screen, but because
most people’s fingers are less pointy than a stylus, it’s not useful for drawing
or writing. Touchpads usually are just a few inches long and wide, and cost
$20 to $50, whereas graphics tablets are larger and cost $100 or more.
All mice designed for Windows computers are compatible with Windows 7.
Specialized devices such as graphics tablets may require special drivers;
make sure that the device you buy is Windows 7 compatible.