Scott,
Good analogy, very accurate. After using one for over a year now, I hate to say that it doesn't get used all that often. It is extremely useful when zoomed in, doing fine orientation tasks, and general viewing of the model.
The issue, as brought up by Jeff's response, is not having a third hand. If you have extensive mapkeys, using the spaceball becomes an exercise in shifting your hand back and forth between the keyboard and the spaceball.
I, for one, can execute most mapkeys with one hand, not looking at the keyboard. Having to switch from the spaceball to the keyboard, necessitates looking down at the keyboard to position my hand. I can't quite get that "Pro/E home row" orientation without peeking. I lose a seemingly small amount of productivity. Multiply that by the number of mapkeys used in a day, and you have a significant loss of time.
If you are one of "those" who don't use mapkeys, then a spaceball may well be very beneficial. Personally, my hand is always on the mouse unless typing a note. Why not use it for the majority of orientation and manipulation, and use the other hand for mapkeys?
Only the individual users can really determine if a spaceball will help their productivity - or hurt it.
And Jeff, I have "Spaceballs" on DVD. I agree with your statement.
Regards,
Jim Jan
Scott Myers29 wrote:With the same hand you've always used, it's not like its glued to the
darn thing.
The best analogy I have heard is "set a blank piece of paper on a desk,
now start to draw a box or circle on it without using your other hand to
hold the paper".........
Thats what the spaceball is for.
Terry Thomas wrote:
Can someone explain what a space ball does for me using proe? If is
really all that and a bag of chips, how do I input numbers etc?
