Computer Mice and Mousepads

I am a regular user of the Logitech MX Ergo, and regularly using an OSK with system wide mouse gestures (StrokesPlus). So, I do quite a bit of dragging and clicking. Even using the OSK when I can't be bothered to reach for the keyboard.

I have noticed in some moments after extensive use of the mouse, I feel cramping in the general area of where the palm and knuckles meet. The tension is short lived, as soon as I take my hand off of the mouse and let it rest for a moment. Using the different angles of the mouse while experiencing the tightness doesn't relieve it.

So I decided to try the Kensington Expert, to see if I can use it with my hands splayed out. Aand I'm not liking it. It's difficult to position the mouse easily to use the OSK, and to hold the buttons down to perform a mouse gesture.

Not sure how people use this comfortably. I find that I am reaching out and pecking at the buttons while I am resting the rest of my fingers on the trackball. Is it perhaps my hands are too small for it?

What are other people's experiences with the Kensington Expert?

I'll have to sell it on FB marketplace as I bought it online and can't be bothered to return for a fee. No physical stores near me stocked this. For now, it'll be back to the MX Ergo, but maybe I need something vertical with a trackball on top. It looks like Kensington also has their Pro Fit Ergo Vertical mouse, but I'm unsure of it.

I've been having pre-carpal tunnel symptoms lately and I really want to switch to a vertical mouse, but I've heard from a lot of people that they just don't have the same sensory quality that you get with a traditional mid-high end gaming mouse. This would be an issue for me since constantly do quick flicks and don't think I can just tollerate an inferior sensor. Does anyone have experience with this sort of thing, and if so do you have any good recommendations?

TLDR; mouse chording is triggering custom actions (like copying text) by holding down a mouse button and then pressing another. This is best done with a three-button-mouse, where the middle button does not double as scroll wheel.

I became aware of this when I discovered Acme, the text editor of plan9 - which uses mouse chording for a few things. This explanation of mouse chording in Acme is pretty good.

I found it very interesting and wanted this to work system wide on my computer.

After some hacking in AutoHotKey I got the following setup to work:

• Left + Middle = copy
• Left + Right = paste
• Right + Left = undo
• Right + Middle = redo
• Middle + Left = enter
• Middle + Right = space
• Middle + Scroll = switch app (Alt+Tab)

I find this very useful, and it saves me from needing to switch back and forth between the keyboard and mouse all the time, which is annoying.

I can also be productive while using only the mouse - especially for simple tasks like data entry; copying text fields, one by one, from one window to another.

To do this effectively, one really needs a three button mouse, often referred to as "CAD mouse" (because of some software called CAD that requires this).

Mice like this are kind of rare, but I eventually found this, which is what I currently use: https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Shengshou-Buttons-Scroll-Wireless-Suitable/dp/B0832BBY8Y/

I really like how the scroll wheel is on the side and out of the way of the buttons.

This one is more or less the same, but with the scroll wheel between the left and middle button: https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Wireless-Rechargeable-Precision-Portable-Defining/dp/B087TFLVPJ/

This seems to be the perfect mouse for chording, but It's a little expensive: https://www.amazon.com/3DConnexion-CadMouse-Pro-Mouse-Optical/dp/B08R5KS38N/

I'll probably get one eventually, since it has back and forward buttons which I can use to add even more custom chordings.

Anyone else into mouse button chording? Any other good mice for this?