TrackPoint

hardware (Or "pointing stick", "nipple") A small knob found

in the middle of some keyboards that works like a very short

isometric joystick. Pressing it toward or away from you or

from side to side moves the pointer on the screen. Ted

Selker brought the concept of an in-keyboard pointing device

to IBM in September 1987. TrackPoint was introduced in 1992

on the IBM ThinkPad and later on some desktops.

It takes up virtually no extra room on the box or the work

area and also requires minimal movement of the hands from the

keyboard.

Many imitations of highly variable quality appeared. Pointing

sticks have also been used in many other notebook brands,

including TI, HP, Compac, Dell, but NOT Toshiba or

AST.

"TrackPoint" and "Trackpoint" are IBM trademarks.

.

[INTERACT'90, North Holland Pub Co, pp. 700-706].

(2003-06-26)