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Comment by humanistbot | Hacker News Reader

I'm using this to yet again make my semi-annual plea for someone to please make a framework-compatible keyboard with a Thinkpad-style trackpoint. That's the only thing keeping me on Lenovo at this point, decades of ingrained muscle memory. The patent is expired (from 1997 and 1998) and it'd be huge!

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It's funny, I actually have a Thinkpad (my work machine), and never use that thing. Just never got into it. I like the positioning in theory I suppose, just haven't accustomed to its location or acceleration, and the trackpad isn't so far away as to make me.

But what do you do at regular desktops/with a docked laptop? Mice bother me more, I've been looking into getting an Apple trackpad (to use with Linux) so it's a pad not a mouse but also so that I can put it in laptop-esque positioning, which seems more ergonomic to me, from primarily using the keyboard. (Not as much as a ThinkPad nipple of course, but as above I've never grown used to it, and I don't think any such keyboards exist anyway.)

I have one, never had the muscle memory for it. And never really used it. until I was using the machine in a moving vehicle on a rough road. and under those circumstances it was amazing how much better the point was than the pad. I was converted.

This is why I dislike touchscrens in cars, for the most part touchscreen are fine(ish) you loose most feedback, but you gain a lot of flexibility in display. fine for most day to day use. Until you try to use one on a rough road, then it is just hell.

Somewhat related, a few years ago when the first spacex manned capsule was launched, I gave an audible gasp when I saw they used touch screens, what idiot certified that, rocket launch is a very vibrating environment. I bet the touch screens were unusable during liftoff. However those spacex touchscreens did have one redeeming feature I would like to see on car touch screens. A bar to steady your hand while using it.

Have you tried bumping the sensitivity? I found that the trackpoint made more sense when it was a light touch to move the pointer.

As a fellow thinkpad user, i feel you.

However, given the sad state of modern thinkpads (soldered ram, nothing’s upgradeable etc etc) i think you (we?) should really reconsider if the trackpoint is worth the hassle.

I’m certainly reconsidering… I’m waiting for amd and 16” version reviews.

I'm in the same boat. I was considering just buying a standalone Lenovo Thinkpad keyboard and using it with the Framework laptop, but kind of defeats the purpose of a laptop.

Sadly, I estimate we're in such a tiny minority it simply makes no market sense for anyone to cater to us.

A small but passionate minority - given framework's modularity, it's not inconceivable that someone else will manufacture and sell a small batch of compatible keyboards and touchpads with buttons.

It might be possible to use an OG Thinkpad keyboard. Assuming it physically fits in the machine, the electronics are quite straightforward. People have already adapted old Thinkpad keyboards to work over USB. I am pretty sure they'll be too thick, but I will take some measurements anyway.

It is even conceivable someone is still manufacturing these keyboards. I see several companies listing Thinkpad keyboards on AliBaba, but I don't know AliBaba well enough to tell if they are manufacturing new keyboards or just selling old ones.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Genuine-New-Laptop-Ke...

I loved the old keyboards with concave keys. The new era of flat keyboards is disheartening. Short throw is ok, but the flat keys don't have the wonderful feel of keys that match the curvature of your finger pads. The curvature also helps your fingers self-center on the keys for precision.

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