About 1980 I started on the road to computers. An IBM 8088, with CRT monitor, keyboard, on/off switch (disguised as an orange flip switch in the back), and a mouse. I loved it all, as slow and clunky as it now, it was a vision back then. Me too, at about 25. Since that time, I have been a mouse user. I started with a mouse in the pre-laptop era. Then when laptops started arriving with the touchpads well, I did not hate them exactly, but thought, “How silly are these, no exact control, how could a professional use such a thing?” I stuck to my guns over the years and would never switch!!!
An interesting fact is that George Gerpheide is the creator behind the laptop touchpad, that popped up around 1990. The story is that he was fiddling around in his basement, dreaming up a way to make laptops easier to use, and BOOM, it was born!
Switching from a mouse to a touchpad can be a significant change. Here is my breakdown of the good, bad, and ugly aspects of making this transition, tailored for beginners.
First in the good area is portability. A touchpad is lightweight and is built into the laptop keyboard. This makes it easy to always have on hand, especially when traveling. Right along with portability is space-saving. When using a touchpad, it frees up desk space, especially if you have limited room. It allows you to use the laptop’s touchpad more efficiently without needing additional equipment. They also say that touchpads, or mouse pads as you prefer, often provide a smoother surface than a desk, enhancing the accuracy of your cursor movements. This can be particularly beneficial for tasks requiring fine control, like graphic design or gaming.
Now a little of the bad and that is the adjustment period to get used to it when you are transitioning from a mouse to a touchpad may require some time to adjust. If you are accustomed to the precision and comfort of a mouse, using just the trackpad might feel less intuitive at first. Moreover, it is said that prolonged use of a trackpad can lead to hand fatigue or discomfort, especially if you’re used to the ergonomic support that a mouse provides. Some tasks may be more challenging without the extra buttons and scroll wheel that a mouse offers. For example, navigating complex software or multitasking can become cumbersome.
Now, the ugly. Touchpads are sensitive and can register accidental touches, leading to unintended clicks or actions. This can be frustrating when working on important tasks. Graphic design and gaming is a big no-no with a touchpad, as it may not offer the same level of control and responsiveness as a dedicated mouse.
A mouse is intuitive and easy to use and takes little learning time after you get used to it. It offers fine movement control. The wireless ones are inexpensive today and if it breaks it is easy to replace with another. Not so with a touchpad. It will call for a repair that a normal user would have to pay much more for.
Mice can be small and easily portable; however, not as easy as the attached touchpad.
Now the one that you may read and think something like, “Oh yeah, I HATE THAT!!!” How about when you are typing, using your mouse and unknowingly, your thumb brushes up against your touchpad causing the cursor to move to…who knows where, until you see your typing appear in a strange place. Today you can tell most computers not to activate the touchpad if you are using a mouse. However, most people do not realize this and just battle it daily.
In summary, switching from a mouse to relying solely on your laptop’s trackpad has its benefits. However, it also comes with challenges like an adjustment period and potential discomfort during extended use. Weighing these factors will help you make an informed decision about your setup.
Now it is time for true confessions. A little over a year ago, I was writing an article and my mouse broke. I would rather not stop working to go get another one. I could wait for you-know-who to deliver me a $12 one the next day. At that point in my life, I abandoned the mouse and switch to the “dark side.” I have only used a mouse now on my desktop computer. On my laptop, I now always use my touchpad, and have learned to love it. If you want to know how to use yours and dump the mouse visit this Microsoft site, ghtech.site/touchpad.
