Logitech describes it as a micro-gear. The important function is
being able to release the clicking mechanism so that the wheel spins
freely. The wheel is probably heavier than a typical mouse wheel so
that it continues to spin for a long time. Any other makers of
flickable mouse wheels yet? Very cool IMO.

John Doe wrote:

> Logitech describes it as a micro-gear. The important function is
> being able to release the clicking mechanism so that the wheel spins
> freely. The wheel is probably heavier than a typical mouse wheel so
> that it continues to spin for a long time. Any other makers of
> flickable mouse wheels yet? Very cool IMO.

They're called trackballs. Some have far less resistance. Flick and
the ball rolls along. To stop just takes putting your finger back on
the trackball. Logitech never did understand the concept of a trackball
and kept putting it in the wrong place with far too much resistance.
Kensington overprices their trackball and, alas, reduce hardiness of the
device by eliminating the steel bearing rollers, and always forgot there
was more of the hand than just the fingers on the trackball and not
everyone has ET's finger length.

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mi...s/130&cl=us,en

Then read:

http://forums.logitech.com/logitech/...essage.id=9549

VanguardLH wrote:
> John Doe wrote:
>
>> Logitech describes it as a micro-gear. The important function is
>> being able to release the clicking mechanism so that the wheel spins
>> freely. The wheel is probably heavier than a typical mouse wheel so
>> that it continues to spin for a long time. Any other makers of
>> flickable mouse wheels yet? Very cool IMO.
>
> They're called trackballs.

No they're not. These are trackballs:
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mi...alls/&cl=us,en

--
SteveH

VanguardLH <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> John Doe wrote:
>
>> Logitech describes it as a micro-gear. The important function
>> is being able to release the clicking mechanism so that the
>> wheel spins freely. The wheel is probably heavier than a
>> typical mouse wheel so that it continues to spin for a long
>> time. Any other makers of flickable mouse wheels yet? Very cool
>> IMO.
>
> They're called trackballs. Some have far less resistance. Flick
> and the ball rolls along. To stop just takes putting your
> finger back on the trackball. Logitech never did understand the
> concept of a trackball and kept putting it in the wrong place
> with far too much resistance. Kensington overprices their
> trackball and, alas, reduce hardiness of the device by
> eliminating the steel bearing rollers, and always forgot there
> was more of the hand than just the fingers on the trackball and
> not everyone has ET's finger length.

Yup. I probably would agree with all of that off-topic stuff about
trackballs. I was very good at Missile Command (decades ago),
maybe because spinning the wheel was the only requirement for that
hand and my elbow was not resting on something. I have never
enjoyed using a trackball as a PC input device.



--
Maybe I should have added that Logitech Setpoint software sucks.
For some strange reason, Setpoint does not allow scrolling one
screen at a time per mouse wheel indentation/click. There is a
workaround, but Logitech should have fixed the problem a long time
ago.

John Doe wrote:
> Logitech describes it as a micro-gear. The important function is
> being able to release the clicking mechanism so that the wheel spins
> freely. The wheel is probably heavier than a typical mouse wheel so
> that it continues to spin for a long time. Any other makers of
> flickable mouse wheels yet? Very cool IMO.

Yes, I just started using one that I purchased from Tiger Direct for my
laptop. It is the Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse For Notebook
(L23-6313) model that comes with a miniature USB transmitter. The
transmitter is stored in the bottom of the mouse when not needed and when
placed there will power down the mouse. There is little power button on the
bottom of the mouse if you want to leave the transmitter plugged into the PC
and still shut down the mouse.

I was totally unaware of the free-wheeling option of the mouse when I
purchased it. When it came mine had the usual clicking mouse wheel that I
was used to. After using it only a couple of hours it started free-wheeling
with no clicking. I figured I had broken it until I pushed down on the
wheel hard enough to once again activate the ratchet mechanism. I just need
to remember to not use such a heavy finger on the wheel or else it switches
modes on me. Free-wheeling through multiple lists or links is much smoother
and faster.

SteveH wrote:

> VanguardLH wrote:
>> John Doe wrote:
>>
>>> Logitech describes it as a micro-gear. The important function is
>>> being able to release the clicking mechanism so that the wheel spins
>>> freely. The wheel is probably heavier than a typical mouse wheel so
>>> that it continues to spin for a long time. Any other makers of
>>> flickable mouse wheels yet? Very cool IMO.
>>
>> They're called trackballs.
>
> No they're not. These are trackballs:
> http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mi...alls/&cl=us,en

Whoosh. Right over your head.

VanguardLH <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

....

> Whoosh. Right over your head.

So you are put off by Logitech's implementation of the trackball?
You might want to give their flickable mouse wheel a try. It is a
good implementation of the freewheeling their trackball should
have done. Probably at least partly because the mechanics is much
easier. The spinning mouse wheel here on my MX Revolution
continues spinning for a long time after letting go. It does not
have the same resistance problem that their trackballs have/had.

> The spinning mouse wheel here...continues spinning for a long
> time after letting go.

And that is surprising to me. Must be a very well machined and
well lubricated axle. I am impressed and would not be very much
surprised if it fails too soon. I would suspect a longevity
problem in dusty or dirty environments. Lasting for two or three
years will be good enough for me. After five months of daily use,
I have noticed no degradation in performance of the freewheeling
scroll wheel. User reviews at our favorite online merchant might
be a good place to look for longevity problems.

John Doe wrote:

> VanguardLH <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> ...
>
>> Whoosh. Right over your head.
>
> So you are put off by Logitech's implementation of the trackball?
> You might want to give their flickable mouse wheel a try. It is a
> good implementation of the freewheeling their trackball should
> have done. Probably at least partly because the mechanics is much
> easier. The spinning mouse wheel here on my MX Revolution
> continues spinning for a long time after letting go. It does not
> have the same resistance problem that their trackballs have/had.

No, the "whoosh" referred to Steve not figuring out that trackballs
already had the ability to flick the ball and have it rolling until you
stopped it (provided you got a trackball that actually did spin freely
which the Logitech didn't). If the idea was to flick a control and have
it spin, the MX Revolution is not a revolutionary concept.

VanguardLH wrote:
> SteveH wrote:
>
>> VanguardLH wrote:
>>> John Doe wrote:
>>>
>>>> Logitech describes it as a micro-gear. The important function is
>>>> being able to release the clicking mechanism so that the wheel
>>>> spins freely. The wheel is probably heavier than a typical mouse
>>>> wheel so that it continues to spin for a long time. Any other
>>>> makers of flickable mouse wheels yet? Very cool IMO.
>>>
>>> They're called trackballs.
>>
>> No they're not. These are trackballs:
>> http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mi...alls/&cl=us,en
>
> Whoosh. Right over your head.

Not at all, a flickable mouse wheel is a flickable mouse wheel, a trackball
is a trackball. The flickable mouse wheel is just an 'improvement' on the
existing mouse wheel. The trackball replaces the directional movement of a
conventional mouse - not the same purpose at all. So telliing the o/p that
they are called trackballs is misleading at best.

--
SteveH