Re: Computer colors/joysticks (was: Re: Apple /// and it's beige color finish.)

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article edhel@bigfoot.com (Edhel Iaur, Esq.) writes...

>What is/was the best joystick for the Apple //s?

    I would definitely say the CH Products Mach III. It is a light-weight
joystick that's easy to hold in the palm of one hand, a wide stick at the
top (easier to grip between thumb and fingers), two button close together
that push easily and with a circle indent for your thumb, plus a third
button atop the stick as well, if you prefer using that instead.

    It also has auto-centering, with two switches to make it free floating
on either the X or Y axis, independently! (you can set both the X and Y
axis to free floating, or just one of the two). It also has two very fine
trim-pots on top for calibrating the stick, with even a little marker for
each that shows you the middle settings (aprox X=127, Y=127). I have a
platinum grey one and a biege, brown and orange one (an earlier model
when the company was Hayes Products), both with DB9 connectors. Mine is
pretty dusty at the moment, though I'm hoping to use it once Kaboom! is
released! :-)

>The Apple ones are OK, nothing special, tho.  They're kinda small,
>too.

    The Apple Joystick IIe/IIc was terrible. They were much too small
(both the base that rest in your palm and the actual stick itself, it
felt like it was designed for a little elf ;) and had buttons that
were difficult to press. The trim-pots for calibration were placed
underneath on the base, making it difficult to access. But the worst
thing about them were the low-quality contact pads for the buttons,
they would eventually die after a couple of hundred presses. I have
an Apple joystick in the closet, with both buttons completely dead
(you need to use the Apple keys on the keyboard as fire buttons :P).

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca