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Why does everyone put the trackball in the middle?
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torcer:

--- Quote ---Symmetry in common usage generally conveys two primary meanings. The first is an imprecise sense of harmonious or aesthetically-pleasing proportionality and balance; such that it reflects beauty or perfection. The second meaning is a precise and well-defined concept of balance or "patterned self-similarity" that can be demonstrated or proved according to the rules of a formal system: by geometry, through physics or otherwise.
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--- Quote ---The relationship of symmetry to aesthetics is complex. Certain simple symmetries, and in particular bilateral symmetry, seem to be deeply ingrained in the inherent perception by humans of the likely health or fitness of other living creatures, as can be seen by the simple experiment of distorting one side of the image of an attractive face and asking viewers to rate the attractiveness of the resulting image. Consequently, such symmetries that mimic biology tend to have an innate appeal that in turn drives a powerful tendency to create artifacts with similar symmetry. One only needs to imagine the difficulty in trying to market a highly asymmetrical car or truck to general automotive buyers to understand the power of biologically inspired symmetries such as bilateral symmetry.

Another more subtle appeal of symmetry is that of simplicity, which in turn has an implication of safety, security, and familiarity. A highly symmetrical room, for example, is unavoidably also a room in which anything out of place or potentially threatening can be identified easily and quickly. People who have, for example, grown up in houses full of exact right angles and precisely identical artifacts can find their first experience in staying in a room with no exact right angles and no exactly identical artifacts to be highly disquieting. Symmetry thus can be a source of comfort not only as an indicator of biological health, but also of a safe and well-understood living environment.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetry#Symmetry_in_other_arts_and_crafts
DaveMMR:
So...  anyway.... trackball in the middle:

Honestly, it's if hanging a little off-center to the left or right it's not going to cause any major problems.  It's when it's hanging out to the extreme left or right that you're forcing yourself to use a specific hand as best, and are leaving yourself a poor view of the action at worst.  So while it doesn't have to be dead-centered, it does often end up that way for symmetrical purposes.

Crowquill:
You may not have a 2nd player most of the time, but most of us have built our panels to accomodate as many games as possible and that includes 2-player simultaneous games. Joystick games can easily be 2-player simultaneous and controls need to be spaced apart to accomodate this. Trackball games are typically 1-player (at a time) so it makes sense to have a centered ball where you have the best vantage-point of the screen.

I play joystick games with the joystick in my left hand. I move the trackball using my right hand. Having the trackball in the middle accomodates this as well.
genesim:
If you have trackball buttons, do you like them on the left or right?

I just think it seems more natural on the right, but I do think having 3 dedicated buttons is a must because of the natural functions of a mouse.   I enjoy using a trackball like that immensely.
DaveMMR:

--- Quote from: genesim on February 11, 2008, 04:51:39 am ---If you have trackball buttons, do you like them on the left or right?

I just think it seems more natural on the right, but I do think having 3 dedicated buttons is a must because of the natural functions of a mouse.   I enjoy using a trackball like that immensely.

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Another good reason to have a trackball in the middle:  You can use the buttons on either side of it

And, as to your second comment, I think dedicated mouse/TB buttons are unnecessary.  The minimal amount I need a mouse for my cab, I use joy2key to program a couple of shifted buttons as Left and Right.  If people like them on their panel... cool, but it's completely optional.
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