Date   : Tue, 13 May 1986 17:11:26 GMT
From   : cem%intelca.uucp@BRL.ARPA
Subject: Re: Commodore 128 Mouse Interface

> The C128 'mouse' is not a mouse at all, except it looks like one.   It
> is an inverted tracball.  It is simply a digital joystick like interface.
> You 'roll-up' (at ANY speed), and it lowers the UP line (pin-1).  Similarly,
> for down, left, right (pins 2,3,4 respectively).   The left button is
> pin-6, otherwise known as FIRE and the right button is connected in a
different
> fashion to POT-X (on pin-9).   There is no increments, or timming, or pulse
> widths (this is what I consider makes a REAL mouse).   Tracballs work the
> same way.   You can use a digital (standard) joystick in place of this
> C128 mouse, or a tracball, and the software will not notice (save for no
> right button).    This mouse does not even come close to the 'magic' feel
> of a real mouse (Microsoft Mouse), but then again it is only $35 instead
> of $85 and cheap and marginal is the name of the game in Commodore land.
> 
> Gern

Hmmmm, there was a message from someone at commodore saying almost the
exact opposite stuff. They seem to think the mouse did indeed break
the motion into pulses. The pulses were dependent on both how far and
how fast the mouse moved. I will have to track it down (maybe it was
in net.micro) and forward it.

--Chuck
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