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Linux Touchpad Like MacBook Update: 2023 Progress on Smooth Scrolling

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Re: Linux Touchpad Like MacBook Update: 2023 Progress on Smooth Scrolling

#201

Post by lhamil64 »

macintux wrote: post #152
nerdjon wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since you mention the touchpad being too small, are you trying to drag and drop with one finger or multiple? What I always just do is click with my thumb and move around with my other fingers. As long as my thumb stays down it stays selected. Then just a few quick swipes with my finger gets whatever it is I am selecting where I want to go. Same works for windows and anything you click and drag. Admittedly there is a…

One configuration I always immediately make is enabling three-finger dragging, along with tap-to-click. Significantly reduces the friction (both literal and figurative).

I don't have a MacBook but I looked up a video and this seems interesting. But how does it solve the problem of hitting the edge of the trackpad? If anything, it seems like it makes the problem worse because now you have three fingers on the trackpad so you will hit the edge quicker.

Re: Linux Touchpad Like MacBook Update: 2023 Progress on Smooth Scrolling

#202

Post by wtallis »

seltzered_ wrote: post #195
jandrese wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can also detect pressure by just measuring how much of your finger is touching the pad. A small spot means light pressure, a large spot where your skin is flatted out more against the glass is higher pressure. In practice these kinds of measurements are fairly tricky so they don't get used very much.

This. If you ever look at apples raw input touch privateframework it provides enough data for the relative direction/size as well as has some encoded states to at least detect between a very faint touch and a finger on the trackpad. This I think goes back to the first unibody MacBooks from around 2008.

The multitouch trackpads actually showed up in the early 2008 MacBook Pros that were the last ones before switching to the unibody enclosure (IIRC the keyboard/trackpad parts could be retrofitted into 2007 MacBook Pros). The early 2008 models still had a separate physical button at the bottom of the trackpad. The late 2008 models got rid of the button and made the whole trackpad hinged at the top to act as a button. Then in 2015 they introduced the Force Touch trackpad that fixed the awkwardness of needing more force to click the further up the trackpad you went.

Re: Linux Touchpad Like MacBook Update: 2023 Progress on Smooth Scrolling

#203

Post by macintux »

lhamil64 wrote: post #201
macintux wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One configuration I always immediately make is enabling three-finger dragging, along with tap-to-click. Significantly reduces the friction (both literal and figurative).

I don't have a MacBook but I looked up a video and this seems interesting. But how does it solve the problem of hitting the edge of the trackpad? If anything, it seems like it makes the problem worse because now you have three fingers on the trackpad so you will hit the edge quicker.

The gesture is "sticky" when moving objects: you can lift your fingers long enough to move them to the other side of the trackpad to continue dragging.

For selecting text, the trackpad is large enough for nearly any selection.

Re: Linux Touchpad Like MacBook Update: 2023 Progress on Smooth Scrolling

#205

Post by codegrappler »

mewpmewp2 wrote: post #153
windowsrookie wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right click is just tap with two fingers. What issue are you having?

You are right it works, but I guess I somehow usually expect it to happen in a lighter way, without the actual click going through. And when I do it, it feels weird to me. It feels like I have to exert more force than I would find "pleasurable" or "intuitive" for a right click. Like I either expect there to be a button that I have to actually press, or if it's a touchpad it feels like it should work with a lighter ta…

I find that changing the right click to the bottom right corner works well for me. I constantly have two fingers resting on the trackpad. Other replies have commented about using the thumb to click while you drag with another finger. I do that constantly so I just gave up on the two finger right click. It would trigger all the time when I didn’t want it to.

Re: Linux Touchpad Like MacBook Update: 2023 Progress on Smooth Scrolling

#206

Post by jwells89 »

mewpmewp2 wrote: post #180
jwells89 wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not in front of my computer right now but I’m pretty sure it’s thumb and index finger. Feels completely natural. Maybe it has to do with hand size, finger/joint length, etc?

Okay. Otherwise do you in your natural state hold your left hand index on F and right hand index on J? Going to A on pinky on your left hand and the key after L on your right pinky? Because I think I have pretty much average male hands, but if I have to do CMD and C, with this natural state position, I have to hit the CMD with pretty much the nail of my thumb sideways, unless I rotate my wrist a lot.

Index on F/J, pinky on A/L, thumb naturally resting on space. Hitting left Command involves bending my thumb and though the press is performed with the side of my thumb, it’s not on its nail but further down.

Re: Linux Touchpad Like MacBook Update: 2023 Progress on Smooth Scrolling

#207

Post by fddrdplktrew »

nerdjon wrote: post #59
al_borland wrote: post #6

Why does this seem like such a hard problem to solve for everyone that isn’t Apple, when Apple seemingly solved the Trackpad over a decade ago? Is this it? An unknown ROI? >the highly uncertain ROI for trying to align touchpad acceleration has prevented us from proposing a system change to the default Linux settings. I can only speak for myself, but I gave up using trackpads on anything that isn’t a MacBook many year…

It is an interesting thing to think about, I have friends that use Windows that are shocked that I willingly chose to get an external trackpad when I use my Mac as desktop. Even more interesting is when I see my partner try to do something on my Mac using a trackpad, he seems... apprehensive? Like he is so afraid of doing the wrong thing and for me this trackpad has never done something I didn't want it to do. Like w…

> It is an interesting thing to think about, I have friends that use Windows that are shocked that I willingly chose to get an external trackpad when I use my Mac as desktop.

external mouse is much more fun to use

Re: Linux Touchpad Like MacBook Update: 2023 Progress on Smooth Scrolling

#208

Post by wtallis »

hoistbypetard wrote: post #185
pmontra wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They should invent a measurement unit for trackpads/touchpads, whatever we call them. Then a grade 5 touchpad will be immediately perceived as better than a grade 4 one. Or Basic, Business, Elite. Marketing teams are good at that.

Microsoft tried "precision touchpad" and I think there was some uptake. But you never see it advertised anymore, so maybe it didn't drive many sales?

They made it a requirement for Windows 11, so the term no longer provides any differentiation.

Re: Linux Touchpad Like MacBook Update: 2023 Progress on Smooth Scrolling

#209

Post by wtallis »

e12e wrote: post #165
ralphist wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you're using it wrong. You can travel a whole screen with one trackpad move if you move the finger fast enough. Maybe you didn't hit a high enough acceleration?

Also when "holding" a window or icon?

When I have my laptop plugged into a 38" ultrawide monitor, I occasionally need to use more than one motion to get a window from the far side of the ultrawide monitor over and down to the laptop's built-in screen. But that doesn't feel too slow to me; rather, it's just that I'm moving the window a pretty large distance. For more reasonable distances, I have no trouble dragging windows or files around. I usually have my cursor speed set two ticks above default (leaving three faster settings available on the slider).

Re: Linux Touchpad Like MacBook Update: 2023 Progress on Smooth Scrolling

#210

Post by 7e »

al_borland wrote: post #6

Why does this seem like such a hard problem to solve for everyone that isn’t Apple, when Apple seemingly solved the Trackpad over a decade ago? Is this it? An unknown ROI? >the highly uncertain ROI for trying to align touchpad acceleration has prevented us from proposing a system change to the default Linux settings. I can only speak for myself, but I gave up using trackpads on anything that isn’t a MacBook many year…

A decade? That's nothing. macOS had a compositor 22 years ago, and Wayland still isn't as good. A bunch of unpaid amateurs just isn't good at moving humanity forward. At least the Linux kernel has some truly paid contributors; the talent bar is higher there. Apple software is a grand architected cathedral; most open source software is accreted, like a stalagmite.
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