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SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

(OP)
One of my students the other night, noticaed that the SpaceBall is gone from 3dConnexion's site. I was just there looking & I coundn;t find any mention that they're dropping them. But there is another Navigator/SpaceBall "love-child"... the SpaceExplorer: http://www.3dconnexion.com/products/3a1b.php

I wish there was a petition or something... I really don't like the ergonomics of the stupid puck. I want the ball.


Windows XP / Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 5000
SolidWorks 2007 SP1.0 / SpaceBall 5000
Lava Lamp
www.Tate3d.com

FAQ376

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

They still have the drivers for the SpaceBalls e.g. the 4000 is 3DxSoftware_v2-8-2.exe

Bradley
SolidWorks 2007 SP2.2
NVIDIA Quadro FX 3400

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

Here's how you get rich--IF your idea is shared by the teeming masses.  Make a puck-to-ball conversion kit so everyone can adapt all the new stuff to fit.

I've used neither at this point (would be NICE to try it before buying--don't know if Logitech could perhaps make something like that happen eventually), but my intuitive ID nature says the puck is better than the ball--at least from the standpoint of how high the ball has to be because of the diameter.  Bending back a wrist like that is silly and why keyboards should NEVER have props under the rear-most of the keyboard--if anything they should have props under the front-most edge.  I like to have the knuckle-side of my hand even with the line of my forearm.  I don't see how the ball on the Spaceball allows that to happen.

Retrofit kit.  Might even be able to punch a hole in a racquetball and use rubber cement to hold it onto the puck.  Definitely.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

(OP)
Jeff...

Not too worried about the wrist position. Looking at my wrist positioned comfortably on the device... the curvature at my wrist joint is comprable to my right hand/wrist on my mouse. And the movement to lift my mouse during normal operation is exponentially more than the lifting movement on the ball. But a puck-to-ball conversion might actually introduce some ergonomic problems.... To be frank... I don't want that liability.

I wonder if the puck skin will come off so I can wash the Flaming Cheeto dust off it every now & again.

BTW... if you do wash your ball skin... Don't use lube to get it back around your ball. I did once... and the skin slipped around the ball so much I couldn't rotate my models right for about a week.


Windows XP / Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 5000
SolidWorks 2007 SP1.0 / SpaceBall 5000
Lava Lamp
www.Tate3d.com

FAQ376

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

Theo, you're starting to sound like an ID/ergo study kind of guy.....

(FYI, I typed this with the little flip-up thingies on the back side of my keyboard retracted.  Feels weird, but I'm such a terrible typist it really doesn't matter.)

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

personally I use the explorer and find it very comfortable and very easy to use. I never liked the feel of the ball. I like the puck much better right from the start. I heard it was changed due to the majority feeling the same way.

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

I used to do a lot of mountain biking--a long time ago--and that's where I first discovered the wrist angle thing with brake lever positions on the bars.  Down is so much better, I normally needed brake with only the middle two fingers (could use the outer two fingers for control while in the air much better that way).  I've found the principle applies all over the place now--plus all the ergonomics stuff coming out with the whole carpal-tunnel problems.  (I do lots of hand tool and other human-interface design.)

I've been on the verge of getting that new Explorer for a while now.  But if I want to feel a $60 mouse before buying, I certainly want to feel the $300 Explorer first!  I'm an ID guy and very picky about crap design.  It looks like 3DConnexion/Logitech is designing some nice stuff now.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

(OP)
Call your VAR... he'll be more than happy to let you test drive one. Assuming your VAR also sells them... mine did.


Windows XP / Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 5000
SolidWorks 2007 SP1.0 / SpaceBall 5000
Lava Lamp
www.Tate3d.com

FAQ376

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

Tate,
You're right, the SpaceBall is gone, however John Hilton (the inventor of the SpaceBall) has started his own company, Spatial Freedom, and they produce the Astroid 6000. You can read a review of it on my blog (see link below). It's in the November archive.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
CAD Administrator
SW '07 SP2.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

Cheaper, too.

I don't think my VAR has them, but that's a good idea--I'll check it out.  Thanks!

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

Tate,

Just noticed your post - particularly the part right after BTW.  I remember your earlier post about the Flaming Cheeto dust, but if taken out of context this latest post might cause the same amount of uproar the Snickers commercial is getting.........

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

I remembered that story because he posted it before.  This post wouldn't cause an uproar like the snickers commercial because he is advocating something, not denouncing anything:

Quote:

if you do wash your ball skin... Don't use lube to get it back around your ball. I did once...
surprise tongue

SW07 SP2.0

Flores

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

(OP)

Quote (Theophilus):


I used to do a lot of mountain biking--a long time ago--
I bet the mountains were a lot smaller back then.tongue


Windows XP / Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 5000
SolidWorks 2007 SP1.0 / SpaceBall 5000
Lava Lamp
www.Tate3d.com

FAQ376

RE: SpaceBalls are going extinct...?

True.  I was also a lot lighter.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

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