Touchpad Mouse Buttons

General Topics
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I don’t own a Framework laptop yet, though I’m planning on getting a Framework 13 soon! I’m currently using a Thinkpad and I love the mouse buttons on the touchpad, and same with some of ASUS’s laptops.

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Is a touchpad with buttons possible to make?

(this isn’t a deal breaker by any means, just something that I would love to see in the future!)

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It is possible but more difficult than the current style of touchpad due to size limitations and the fact that separate buttons require more space.

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Thought I’d post my experience…

I’m coming from a history of 100% thinkpads. I never really used the touchpoint (nub) but the physical “mouse” buttons, in my opinion, are necessary for standard laptop touchpads to be bearable. The one exception to this is Apple (and MS Surface) haptic touchpads which are good enough that the lack of physical buttons is not horrible.

Almost all (non Apple/Surface) laptops have the “standard” clicky touchpads, which I think border on unacceptable. I think all laptops should either have the fancy haptic touchpads, or physical moust buttons.

This is the one issue I have with my Framework (there are others but they are minor).

I have “fixed” this situation in 2 ways:

  • I have mapped my right-Alt key to act like mouse left-click. The key isn’t in the perfect position for this purpose, and I lose my right-Alt, but it has really helped me out. FYI the program I used for this is called kanata (other tools are also available).
  • Also, I have (just the other day) purchased an Apple Magic Trackpad USB-C (first ever Apple product I have purchased, and hopefully last). With latest Fedora, it works flawlessly without hassles (USB & BT modes). The obvious issue with this solution is that it’s not conveniently located below the keyboard, where I want it to be.

I would really like to see Framework offer a haptic touchpad (like Apple/Surface) which I think most people would enjoy. I personally think that NO laptop should be produced with the standard clicky touchpads ever! They are painful, esp for dragging/etc. Optionally a touchpad with physical mouse buttons could be good for some, though it would reduce touchpad area, and the general audience probably wouldn’t like it.

PS. Some other related posts…

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I guess it’s all down to personal preference. I’ve used a 2013 MBP for the last 12 years and I’m so used to the normal clicky touchpad that the haptic ones feel odd to me.

I think it’s because my default is to rest my thumb at the bottom of the touchpad and use my fingers to move and then just click with my thumb.

The much more important thing for me is that the touchpad is glass and the drivers work well.