Re: Speed Key vs. Mice
Posted: December 20th, 1984, 3:09 am
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From: info-mac@uw-beaver (info-mac)
Newsgroups: fa.info-mac
Subject: Re: Speed Key vs. Mice
Message-ID:
Date: Tue, 27-Nov-84 03:03:56 EST
Article-I.D.: uw-beave.2334
Posted: Tue Nov 27 03:03:56 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Nov-84 04:17:31 EST
Sender: root@uw-beave
Organization: U of Washington Computer Science
Lines: 66
From: [email protected]
I own and occasionally use a Koalapad (on an Apple II), but haven't used
the Speed Key software. I've used a mouse daily for many years.
The comparison depends on the nature of the task. Software design also
has a strong influence on the perceived utility of either device. Some
of the positive comments in the Infoworld review are really a comparison
of the two software packages, and have nothing to do with the
fundamental mouse/Koalapad hardware choice.
For freehand artistic drawing, the Koalapad is significantly better than
a mouse.
The following comments assume that the task to be performed is some
flavor of text manipulation, involving a mixture of pointing (to select
a textual segment, icon, or menu item) and text entry.
a. For touch typists, one hand must frequently move from keyboard to
pointing device. It is far faster to drop the hand over a mouse than to
pick up and position a stylus, even if the stylus hasn't hidden itself
under papers or rolled off the table. Although one can, in principle,
use a fingernail instead of a stylus on the Koalapad, it doesn't work
very well.
b. The comment that the Koalapad "requires about half the desktop space
of a typical mouse" is puzzling. I don't know what system they used,
but the Xerox mechanical and optical mice, used with a variety of Alto
software, require roughly three inches of mouse motion to move the
cursor full screen (a bit over 2:1 magnification from mouse motion to
cursor motion). This is no bigger, and perhaps smaller, than the
Koalapad. The Dandelion, 1108, Dorado, etc. are about the same. I
haven't had a chance to check a Mac or Lisa. It's nice to have a larger
pad, but not necessary. It is quite possible to teach yourself to work
efficiently within a 3" x 3" pad, although your hand needs clearance of
an inch or two beyond the pad on both sides. The bulk of the Koalapad
makes it feel like it is taking up more space than the ordinary piece of
paper on which I run my mouse (this same piece of paper serves for
scribbling phone messages, etc.) Among people with crowded desks, it is
not unusual to find a mouse living in a cage only a few inches on a
side, hemmed in by books, papers and keyboard on three sides.
c. Properly used, the several buttons on a mouse allow great efficiency
in selecting objects (the one-button Apple mouse is a step backwards
from the various multi-button versions, but is a lot better than no
mouse). The Koalapad software can presumably emulate a one-button mouse
by sensing that contact between stylus and pad has been made or broken,
but this is at best a crude emulation. If you have to take your hand
off the stylus and touch one of the buttons on the Koala case or
perhaps use the other hand to touch special keys on the regular
keyboard, you've lost some of the advantage. How does Speed-Key handle
this???
d. Inffoworld comments favorably on the possibility of using a Koalapad
in one's lap. But this is a common mode for mouse users as well. It
is, of course, only practical for tasks other than heavy text entry.
Fast touch typing, like piano playing, is only possible with proper hand
and arm position. It's not unusual to find mechanical mice running
around on vinyl loose leaf notebook covers, either on top of a pile of
junk or in a lap. The Xerox optical mouse forces slightly more
discipline: I take the pad supplied by Xerox to the nearest office
copier and make a bunch of ordinary paper copies of the dot pattern.
One of these copies is taped to my desk as a combination note pad and
mouse pad, and replaced when it gets cluttered or dog-eared. Another is
taped to a notebook cover for use as a lap pad.
/Dave
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 UW 5/3/83; site uw-beaver
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!info-mac
From: info-mac@uw-beaver (info-mac)
Newsgroups: fa.info-mac
Subject: Re: Speed Key vs. Mice
Message-ID:
Date: Tue, 27-Nov-84 03:03:56 EST
Article-I.D.: uw-beave.2334
Posted: Tue Nov 27 03:03:56 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Nov-84 04:17:31 EST
Sender: root@uw-beave
Organization: U of Washington Computer Science
Lines: 66
From: [email protected]
I own and occasionally use a Koalapad (on an Apple II), but haven't used
the Speed Key software. I've used a mouse daily for many years.
The comparison depends on the nature of the task. Software design also
has a strong influence on the perceived utility of either device. Some
of the positive comments in the Infoworld review are really a comparison
of the two software packages, and have nothing to do with the
fundamental mouse/Koalapad hardware choice.
For freehand artistic drawing, the Koalapad is significantly better than
a mouse.
The following comments assume that the task to be performed is some
flavor of text manipulation, involving a mixture of pointing (to select
a textual segment, icon, or menu item) and text entry.
a. For touch typists, one hand must frequently move from keyboard to
pointing device. It is far faster to drop the hand over a mouse than to
pick up and position a stylus, even if the stylus hasn't hidden itself
under papers or rolled off the table. Although one can, in principle,
use a fingernail instead of a stylus on the Koalapad, it doesn't work
very well.
b. The comment that the Koalapad "requires about half the desktop space
of a typical mouse" is puzzling. I don't know what system they used,
but the Xerox mechanical and optical mice, used with a variety of Alto
software, require roughly three inches of mouse motion to move the
cursor full screen (a bit over 2:1 magnification from mouse motion to
cursor motion). This is no bigger, and perhaps smaller, than the
Koalapad. The Dandelion, 1108, Dorado, etc. are about the same. I
haven't had a chance to check a Mac or Lisa. It's nice to have a larger
pad, but not necessary. It is quite possible to teach yourself to work
efficiently within a 3" x 3" pad, although your hand needs clearance of
an inch or two beyond the pad on both sides. The bulk of the Koalapad
makes it feel like it is taking up more space than the ordinary piece of
paper on which I run my mouse (this same piece of paper serves for
scribbling phone messages, etc.) Among people with crowded desks, it is
not unusual to find a mouse living in a cage only a few inches on a
side, hemmed in by books, papers and keyboard on three sides.
c. Properly used, the several buttons on a mouse allow great efficiency
in selecting objects (the one-button Apple mouse is a step backwards
from the various multi-button versions, but is a lot better than no
mouse). The Koalapad software can presumably emulate a one-button mouse
by sensing that contact between stylus and pad has been made or broken,
but this is at best a crude emulation. If you have to take your hand
off the stylus and touch one of the buttons on the Koala case or
perhaps use the other hand to touch special keys on the regular
keyboard, you've lost some of the advantage. How does Speed-Key handle
this???
d. Inffoworld comments favorably on the possibility of using a Koalapad
in one's lap. But this is a common mode for mouse users as well. It
is, of course, only practical for tasks other than heavy text entry.
Fast touch typing, like piano playing, is only possible with proper hand
and arm position. It's not unusual to find mechanical mice running
around on vinyl loose leaf notebook covers, either on top of a pile of
junk or in a lap. The Xerox optical mouse forces slightly more
discipline: I take the pad supplied by Xerox to the nearest office
copier and make a bunch of ordinary paper copies of the dot pattern.
One of these copies is taped to my desk as a combination note pad and
mouse pad, and replaced when it gets cluttered or dog-eared. Another is
taped to a notebook cover for use as a lap pad.
/Dave