I personally like trackballs with a large central ball where I can use all my fingers. I am aware Ploopy offers one. This style however has fallen out of popularity, but I've been using them since the mid-90s.
Just using your thumb for all navigation seems like an RSI waiting to happen.
Also I don't know who in the last couple years decided it's a "Trackball Mouse" it's just a Trackball in the same way it's just a "Trackpad" and not a "Trackpad Mouse"
I have deformities in my wrist and I have small palms (dwarfism) I’ve tried various kinds of mice; none of them were comfortable and settled on using a Wacom tablet as a trackpad.
Recently I started using Logitech Ergo M575 trackball mice and it has been total game changer, I can even play FPS games quite well with it. I highly recommend trackball for those with accessibility issues like me and certainly welcome more open hardware competitors in the space like Ploopy as customisation is crucial for accessibility.
These types of mice are just not for me but I looked at some of their other products and honestly the thing I like most about them is how everything is open source.
Ironically I think the fact that they open source their designs probably helps sales. My first reaction is to scoff at the $144 price tag but I know that if I go look at what it will take to build one myself I’m sure the $144 price tag will become much more reasonable.
Anyone use a trackball mouse on their laptop for use while sitting on the couch? How do you like it compared to the trackpad? How is it for light gaming?
Potentially dumb question; how well do these kinds of trackball mice work with games like Arkanoid of Breakout?
I've never been able to get used to those games with a mouse or trackpad, and there aren't a ton of rotary controllers being produced now as far as I know.
I like that Ploopy are designing and building open-source hardware. I have their Classic (1) trackball, which has been great. I recently got their new trackpad, which is better for me. Having multi-finger gestures (pinch to zoom, swipe back) is nice.
This mouse is very similar to the Protoarc EM03, which is the best trackball I have ever used. Unfortunately it seems it was discontinued recently. Still waiting on a reply from Protoarc as to why the shop page is down.
Dumb question but is this the type where you use your thumb or your fingerd to control? I see conflicting comments below. I have a few trackballs but prefer by far the centralised kind rather than the thumb kind.
Ploopy Classic 2 open source trackball
(blog.ploopy.co)119 points by namanyayg 30 March 2025 | 50 comments
Comments
Just using your thumb for all navigation seems like an RSI waiting to happen.
Also I don't know who in the last couple years decided it's a "Trackball Mouse" it's just a Trackball in the same way it's just a "Trackpad" and not a "Trackpad Mouse"
Recently I started using Logitech Ergo M575 trackball mice and it has been total game changer, I can even play FPS games quite well with it. I highly recommend trackball for those with accessibility issues like me and certainly welcome more open hardware competitors in the space like Ploopy as customisation is crucial for accessibility.
Ironically I think the fact that they open source their designs probably helps sales. My first reaction is to scoff at the $144 price tag but I know that if I go look at what it will take to build one myself I’m sure the $144 price tag will become much more reasonable.
https://web.archive.org/web/20250330150603/https://blog.ploo...
https://www.lenzg.net/uploads/images/Trackman_Marble_FX.jpg
I've never been able to get used to those games with a mouse or trackpad, and there aren't a ton of rotary controllers being produced now as far as I know.