Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer • Hacker News Board

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#41

Post by rjh29 » Sat, May 16, 2026, 8:36 AM UTC

rzzzt wrote: post #36

jb1991 wrote: post #31

> pointing stick mouse. It adds high-precision pointing stick functionality to any setup I’ve never heard these terms before. What is a pointing stick on a computer?

The nub around the G-B-H keys that doesn't really move but responds to pressure and lets you fly the mouse cursor around the screen with various speeds. Lenovo, Dell, HP, Fujitsu and many others equipped their business laptops with such a pointing device.

And notably as touchpads have improved, most of the makers have stopped including TrackPoints. Lenovo is the main holdout.

Still waiting for Framework to introduce a keyboard with a trackpoint included, but apparently the room allocated for the keyboard is too thin for it to be possible.

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#42

Post by schmiddim » Sat, May 16, 2026, 8:45 AM UTC

Nice idea but the keyboard around the trackpoint is missing. The concept behind the trackpoint is that you can control the mouse pointer while your fingers are resting on asd and ;lkj.

Checkout Tex Shinobi or Shura if you like Keyboards with Trackpoint.

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#43

Post by chrchr » Sat, May 16, 2026, 8:53 AM UTC

Interestingly, this device uses a totally different mechanism than classic trackpoints. Where true trackpoints use a network of strain gauges on the PCB, this is a 3D hall effect sensor and a spring. A trackpoint has only an imperceptible amount of travel, and this is designed to physically move. I really wonder how it feels in practice. It might feel more like a thumb stick from a game controller than a trackpoint.

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#44

Post by jimmySixDOF » Sat, May 16, 2026, 9:11 AM UTC

ornornor wrote: post #23

bigyabai wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Consider a trackball. I got a Kensington Expert Wireless a while back and really recommend it if you prefer to keep your wrists somewhere static.

Ploopy does make trackballs. I have an adept and it’s great. Inexpensive too.

Unfortunately drag-scroll is not in enough places to make this work without a dedicated wheel but I do have an eye on these

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#45

Post by intothemild » Sat, May 16, 2026, 9:26 AM UTC

pronik wrote: post #37

For such a niche area, it's astonishing how many of these projects miss some or indeed all of relevant features of the TrackPoint. In this particular case, it has already been mentioned that this doesn't make any sense outside of the keyboard. Additionally, it looks really awkward to use for someone used to the classic and there seems to be no button suitable for scrolling. It really looks like a "we heard geeks like…

Exactly. People love trackpoint because it's right there in the middle of the keyboard, and you don't have to move your hands.

Any variation of trackpoint where you have to move your hand away from the keyboard, is a failure IMHO

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#46

Post by TightFibre » Sat, May 16, 2026, 9:35 AM UTC

tra3 wrote: post #28

Zetaphor wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The UHK also supports mouse keys. I own both the 60v2 and the newer UHK 80 (I was a beta tester), these keyboards are my final destination. The only reason I would consider a change is if they released an ortholinear layout.

Yes, of course. I’ve accidentally fallen down the split keyboard rabbit hole and now I can’t get out. UHK seems like it’s got everything that I might ever need but I’m going to stick with my Aliexpress Corne for a bit longer before I take the plunge.

I have a tented split scissor switch that is quite wide, and it still annoys my shoulder with the inward pivot. Plus I seem to do reasonably well two fingering a smart phone so, well, what is the point? We can put a SOC in an interface with reasonable speed these days. I would love to see a radical departure. A glove interface surely could be better?

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#47

Post by scbrg » Sat, May 16, 2026, 9:37 AM UTC

dokyun wrote: post #20

These startup names are starting to get real fuckin' stupid.

Perhaps. But these ones have been around a while. Here's the new HN story, seven years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21263264

Not sure how long you're a startup...

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#48

Post by dsr_ » Sat, May 16, 2026, 10:42 AM UTC

pronik wrote: post #37

For such a niche area, it's astonishing how many of these projects miss some or indeed all of relevant features of the TrackPoint. In this particular case, it has already been mentioned that this doesn't make any sense outside of the keyboard. Additionally, it looks really awkward to use for someone used to the classic and there seems to be no button suitable for scrolling. It really looks like a "we heard geeks like…

In X11 (and probably in Wayland, since this is a libinput thing) you can define a button as a scroll lock.

So, hold down the scroll lock button and the thumbstick becomes a scroller. That leaves three buttons for left, middle and right.

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#49

Post by boomskats » Sat, May 16, 2026, 11:33 AM UTC

socratics wrote: post #32

vasco wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In quite a few languages they are called clitoris in various slangs colloquially. I didn't know the real name for this device for many years.

Bean is also slang for clitoris, at least in the UK. Ploopy has a good sense of humour, the Knob page being the prime example.

Yeah, I knew exactly what this was gonna be before I read the second half of the title.

Now I'm wondering if putting a bean on the knob would be taking it too far.

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#50

Post by pronik » Sat, May 16, 2026, 11:38 AM UTC

dsr_ wrote: post #48

pronik wrote: post #37

For such a niche area, it's astonishing how many of these projects miss some or indeed all of relevant features of the TrackPoint. In this particular case, it has already been mentioned that this doesn't make any sense outside of the keyboard. Additionally, it looks really awkward to use for someone used to the classic and there seems to be no button suitable for scrolling. It really looks like a "we heard geeks like…

In X11 (and probably in Wayland, since this is a libinput thing) you can define a button as a scroll lock. So, hold down the scroll lock button and the thumbstick becomes a scroller. That leaves three buttons for left, middle and right.

Sure, but which of those buttons would be suitable? Keep in mind, it will be your thumb that needs to land naturally on that button while your index finger rests on the trackpoint. And the scroll button is also usually the middle button even though there are cases where you need middle-mouse drag (looking at you, Blender) for which a fourth button might go quite nice.