subbukk wrote:

> Using mouse cursor to set focus makes sense only when accompanied by 
> buttons, as in click, drag, drop or scroll. Otherwise (like in typing 
> keys), mouse cursor cannot be relied upon to indicate intention on user's 
> part. The mouse could moved accidentally. 

I think of an accidental movement as "noise" in the communication-line 
between the user and computer.  This is more an issue with the 43-year 
old mouse as an input device.  A more fluid input device is needed.

> When I am typing in large body 
> of text, I prefer to keep my hands on the keyboard near the home keys.

Of course, me too.  And remain at the home row to "point" too (as 
mentioned, courtesy of TrackPoint).  So I essentially have an 87-button 
mouse and keyboard at my disposal, right at the home row.  Far from 
perfect of course, but it also doesn't suffer the static of accidently 
moving.

> I 
> want the focus to be around the text cursor; mouse cursor is irrelevant. 
> But for click, drag, drop or scroll, the mouse cursor indicates focus. 
> Text cursor is irrelevant.

This combined 87-button mouse and keyboard into "one" input device is 
more a "higher-bandwidth" human-computer interface than the sum of the 
two individually because it adds many, many more combinations of short 
gestures available on the screen to direct the software (e.g., 87 per 
visible non-text widget instead of.. about 4).  All of these many more 
"valid" gestures are within "easy reach" (one point, one key); but only 
if the underlying software is capable of leveraging this (e.g., 
mouseOverForFocus).

I can see that the input device really matters, because "point, key" is 
a lot of switching back and forth with docking-station and mouse (which 
I never use).

I'd like to point out one other unintended side-effect of this.  Besides 
more productive, I have found it more "serene".  Not because its been a 
more "efficient" way to direct the software, but because of the 
consistency with which direction occurs (e.g., point, key).

Certainly, it takes getting accustomed to the other when you are used to 
one..

Cheers!