Hello Sun-managers,
My original question was:
> Does anyone know if it is possible to get track-balls for Sun workstations?
> Since Sun doesn't manufacture these it would have to be from a third-party
> vendor. A number of our users are experiencing pains in their arms/wrists from
> long-time use of the mouse. In these cases, a track-ball might be a solution.
These were the answers I received:
1) We bought a trackball directly from Mouse-trak in Garland Texas. I didn't
like it, but one of my employees loves it. We also bought a mechanical mouse
from SunExpress. It has quite a different feel and the buttons have a
different feel, so that is something to try, too.
2) I kind of doubt a trackball will solve this problem. It's more likely they
need something like the WRIST KARE, which is a long pad that fit in front of
the keyboard, that the wrists rest on. This keeps the user from allowing the
wrists to bend too far. (I use one.) If you are convinced you want to look
into trackballs, jaf@inference.com posted a summary on Kensington trackballs
about last May 20. You can probably find it thru WAIS.
3) The Sun mouse is just a stock Mouse Systems serial mouse with an unusual
connector. Any standard serial mouse or trackball should work if you can
find the proper adapter to be able to plug it in. I've not personally run
into this problem, but I understand that some people have gotten relief from
Sun mouse pains by switching to a Logitec mouse.
4) Logitech makes some; I have two, they work fine.
5) I have one from Evergreen Systems which works pretty well. There are now 3
or 4 vendors making them.....if you can find it, Sun has a "serial port-
folio" listing all of the serial line devices that "plug in" -- alternate
keyboards and trackballs included.
6) Don't have the info offhand, but if you look in one of the Sun trade
magazines in the US you'll find one popular vendor of trackballs for around
250$ U.S.
7) Translated from Swedish: You can contact a company called Mouse-Track/USA
or their representative Specma in Sweden. We have had the same problem and
we got a track-ball on trial. The problems of pains in the arms disappeared.
Addresses: Mouse-Track
ITAC SYSTEMS, Inc
3121 Benton street
Garland Texas
USA
Fax/international: +1 214 494 4159
Specma
Goteborg
Tel/international +46 31 89 16 00
Thanks a lot to: Richard A. Jones jones@bakmes.Colorado.EDU
Ed Arnold era@ncar.ucar.edu
Perry Hutchison perryh@pluto.rain.com
Mike Raffety miker@il.us.swissbank.com
Hal Stern stern@sunne.east.sun.com
Henry Katz hkatz@NUCMED.MED.NYU.EDU
Per Hallenborg hbg@vattenfall.se
Best regards
Paul Hostrup-Jessen, phj06@bk.dk
Bruel & Kjaer A/S
DK-2850 Naerum
Denmark
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