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iBook and Powerbook users do you use the trackpad as a mouse button?

slooksterPSV

slooksterPSV

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 17, 2004
3,546
309
Nowheresville
I'm curious to see who does and who doesn't use the track pad to click the mouse instead of pressing the button on the iBook and PowerBooks. If you don't know about this setting its in System Preferences. I can click by tapping my finger on the track pad. I like that about laptops sometimes. Cause it's almost faster to do that than to press the button IN MY OPINON (that really does depend on what you're doing. Like me I can click links faster like that, instead of having to move my index finger or thumb to the click button)

Just curious.
 
I agree that enabling the finger tapping as a mouse click is faster computing for the most part; but I'm clumsy and I would go crazy accidentally clicking left and right so I'm very happy using my actual 'button' clicker thingamajig. :eek:
 
Just found what you guys are talking about. I used that feature for five minites, and it annoyed me to no end. So I go back to using the button.
 
I keep my right index finger on the trackpad and right thumb on the button. It takes no extra time to engage my thumb. What are you guys talking about time savings?! :confused:

Also, I have disabled that feature. Same story--tried it for 5 minutes, resulted in too many unnecessary clicks, felt clunky, etc.
 
I use it and it works fine for me? :confused:

It only "clicks" when I *tap* on the trackpad.

Do you guys constantly tap the trackpad while you move your fingers around or something?
 
I absolutely love it... couldn't live without it. Drag-lock is a lot of fun too, once you ascend in your mastery. ;) It just feels natural since the 17" has such a huge trackpad. I still use the button though, I would say it's about 50/50.
 
I don't care for tap to drag, but I do use tap to click. I also use sidetrack, so I have a corner tap set to the "right mouse button," and the right and bottom edges set to scroll. But to be honest, I use a mix of tap to click, the trackpad button, and the external mouse. Depends loosely on the situation, and also randomness, I guess. :eek:
 
I'm like most of the other posters, used it when I first got my PB (a little more than a year ago) couldn't stand it as I was clicking on everything, so now I just use the mongo button below the track pad. Have to say though that I love the iScroll option of two fingers on the pad for a right-click, use that option tonnes, as well as the scroll (which I guess all new books have). But no go for the on pad clicking for these uncoordinated appendages.
 
tried both and have stuck with the trackpad and button only scheme, no index finger tapping on my trackpad. i would always get too many non click clicks or whatever.
 
I tried it for some time, but I just couldn't get used to it. It just feels "odd" (seriously, it just feels funny to tap the pad). I usually keep one finger on the button at all times, anyway, so I don't save any time either way.
 
I've been using it since I got my iBook..a little something I brought over during the switch I guess...no problems really except trying to drag stuff..have to roll your fingers for precision... :rolleyes:
 
Add me to what seems to be the less popular group. I have the trackpad set to click when I tap. I don't use the drag feature though, but I didn't care for the trackpad very much when I couldn't tap.
 
I hate that "feature." It always accidentally triggers and causes me to click things and drag things that I didn't intend to. I leave it off on my PowerBook, but when I use other people's notebooks (PC and Mac), it sometimes really frustrates me.
 
I use both the trackpad the the button on the bottom. I think my mouse and trackpad are dieing since I been using the bluetooth tablet's pen to do my gaming. People say I have a super DS since im using the pen to play FPS games.
 
xparaparafreakx said:
I use both the trackpad the the button on the bottom. I think my mouse and trackpad are dieing since I been using the bluetooth tablet's pen to do my gaming. People say I have a super DS since im using the pen to play FPS games.
Click to expand...
Whoa, I can't use the pen to play games, not even on a DS, its just not comfortable cause I haven't used it for a whole week. That's about how long it takes me to adjust to a new controller. most of the time though, if its similar to another controller - like Xbox and Playstation - then I get the handle of it in about a day. Now I used PSX and XBX as an example cause the XBX controller is like twice as big as the PSX, but has a few less buttons. So don't take that the wrong way. Ok. Got it? ok, u sure? ok, just making sure. Still? ok good.

I hate the Nintendo GC's new controller. That, to me, just looks so horrible, half and half of a controller.
 
I normally use a mouse with my PowerBook, but for when I'm mobile, I have the tap-to-click and the double-tap-and-drag options enabled.

I find it frustrating to try to drag anything while holding my thumb on the button (always cranking my wrist into odd positions) Since you can't have one without the other, I have them both on. I don't use the drag-lock, though.

And the scrolling trackpad rocks my world.
 
When I first got my PowerBook, I thought that I would love the tap to click feature. It turns out that I don't love it. I went back to using the button.
 
wongulous said:
I keep my right index finger on the trackpad and right thumb on the button. It takes no extra time to engage my thumb. What are you guys talking about time savings?! :confused:

Also, I have disabled that feature. Same story--tried it for 5 minutes, resulted in too many unnecessary clicks, felt clunky, etc.
Click to expand...

Do exactly the same thing..
Two fingers on two different spots..
Or are you guys having difficulty multi-tasking?
 
The main reason I like it, is because when the trackpads came out, that is how I knew to click things with it. So using the button kind of felt a little cheap to me, like Apple couldn't develope a way to tap the track pad. But I'm going to get rid of it here soon because I keep slipping and hitting the pad and clicking on links I didn't want to go on. Yes I do harness my thumb over the button. and Have my forefinger over the track pad. So I'll be changing it.
 
I tap the trackpad. I guess I started using it when I was in school because my button seemed to click abnormally loudly and I didn't want to disturb my roomates sleep. Now I am really used to it and really appreciate it.
 
I love the trackpad tapping for clicks, but I always accidentally click when typing or something and it just screws things up so I leave it disabled. IMO, Apple needs to make it so you have to use 2 fingers for it to tap to be registered as a click to help prevent accidental taps. Say, 2 fingers for left click, 3 for right click. That would be awesome.
 
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