Joystick and keyboard nipple

Joystick and keyboard nipple
The joystick is an indirect input device, taking up very little space. Consisting of a
small palm-sized box with a stick or shaped grip sticking up from it, the joystick is a
simple device with which movements of the stick cause a corresponding movement
of the screen cursor. There are two types of joystick: the absolute and the isometric.
In the absolute joystick, movement is the important characteristic, since the position
of the joystick in the base corresponds to the position of the cursor on the screen.
In the isometric joystick, the pressure on the stick corresponds to the velocity of
the cursor, and when released, the stick returns to its usual upright centered position.
This type of joystick is also called the velocity-controlled joystick, for obvious
reasons. The buttons are usually placed on the top of the stick, or on the front like a
trigger. Joysticks are inexpensive and fairly robust, and for this reason they are often
found in computer games. Another reason for their dominance of the games market
is their relative familiarity to users, and their likeness to aircraft joysticks: aircraft are
a favorite basis for games, leading to familiarity with the joystick that can be used
for more obscure entertainment ideas.
A smaller device but with the same basic characteristics is used on many laptop
computers to control the cursor. Some older systems had a variant of this called the
keymouse, which was a single key. More commonly a small rubber nipple projects in
the center of the keyboard and acts as a tiny isometric joystick. It is usually difficult
for novices to use, but this seems to be related to fine adjustment of the speed settings. Like the joystick the nipple controls the rate of movement across the screen
and is thus less direct than a mouse or stylus.