I would like to think of myself as being an experienced Mac user. However, in the 7 years that I have been using a Mac, I have never found use of the TrackPad coming easily or naturally. So much so, that as I sit typing this on my MacBook, I am struggling to recall the last time that I used its TrackPad. It quite literally has to be months.
This truly puzzles me.
I frequently remind myself of what the TrackPad and TrackPad Commander can do. I always come away thinking that there is lots there that I should take advantage of; lots that would enhance my user experience and workflow. However, days, weeks and months then pass; during which muscle memory and habit continue to find my fingers reaching for keys rather than the Trackpad.
Part of the problem here is that because I don't routinely and regularly use the TrackPad, I simply forget what the various gestures and actions are, meaning that keyboard shortcuts continue to come more easily and naturally.
I suspect that another significant factor at play here, is the 30 years spent primarily using desktop computers. In relative terms, that makes a TrackPad new to me and leaves a lot of muscle memory and habit to get in the way.
So, to get me out of this state and to turn the TrackPad into something more than a frustration when an accidental bump with my palm causes it to do something unwanted, I would love to hear of the ways in which people use the TrackPad in interesting and productive ways.
For instance, does use of the TrackPad come natural to you; have you found ways in which it can add to or enhance the capabilities of the keyboard, how do you integrate it into your workflow as a VoiceOver user?
Comments
I hardly ever use the
I hardly ever use the trackpad, as I've not found anything I can do with it that I can't do with the keyboard. I find the keyboard easier to use as I learned the various keyboard shortcuts before Macs had multitouch trackpads. I think it is true what you said, it really boils down to what you're used to.
To avoid accidentally bumping the trackpad, I turn off trackpad commander by pressing the VO keys while rotating two fingers counterclockwise.
I bought one from 8 years
I Bought 1 from A long time to use with my mac mini, but i did not use it til now,
so, hope also to know what is the best way to use it
Hmmm, do not think it can…
Hmmm, do not think it can add to my workflow. One simple issue here is that you can not use it efficiently without combining this without a keyboard modifier, so if I have to reach to the keyboard already then what is the point of using the trackpad?
I love my track pad usually
I use it all the time. For me it goes back to the days of old track pads on windows laptops which I could never use. so now I've had two macs, I find using it all the time. Yeah i bump it, but I feel more like a real user. Forget the keyboard. wanna go to the Dock? Two taps at the bottom. Shut up speech? touch two fingers. Swipe left on pages? Just like your phone. It's a little sensitive so I find sometimes it bugs me, but I don't see how anyone can't use it. I mean the keyboard's there, but you're reaching over something useful already so why not use what you have. I love flicking down pages and headings and other roter actions.
TrackPad + Braille Display
I find using a Braille Display much easier without speech output when I can use gestures with one hand and read with the other.
Better Touch Tool
Hi. If you want an app to greatly increase the usability of the track pad, I recommend Better Touch Tool. Here's a link to an article:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj4lJbFv9z1AhWVJ0QIHYl4CyoQFnoECAsQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macworld.com%2Farticle%2F551700%2Fmac-gems-bettertouchtool-review.html&usg=AOvVaw0m2fBQkOP9oKlpXBu3Rssg
P.S. If your trackpad is too sensative, you can adjust that in system preferences. If cursor movement is too extreme, you can adjust that, too.
How I Use The Trackpad
I started out only using an iPad and got an iPhone and MacBook from there. Since my first introduction to Apple devices was through multi-touch I acclimated myself to MacOS largely with touch gestures and navigated in a similar way to how I would on my iPad or phone (single flicks left and right, double-tapping items to click them, toggling screen curtain and speech, etc). I don't use trackpad commander much save for alternative shortcuts I programmed for going to the top and bottom of windows as I don't like having to press down more than 3 or 4 keys at once to do a single keyboard shortcut. I also find the trackpad useful for quickly navigating to the dock, menu bar, app chooser, or window chooser and prefer it if I want to be as quiet as possible when using my laptop. Hope this helps.
I second the comment about…
I second the comment about using trackpad to be as quiet as possible. I have clients who ask me if I'm paying attention to them when they hear me use my keyboard but don't see me typing in our chat.