Alien computing equipment

[kengr]

Ok, just had a truly *weird* idea come to me while looking over at fayanora's mouse.

A pointing device for aliens. It's a blob of "goo" and you move the pointer(s) on (in?) the display by using your manipulatory appendages to exert pressure in various directions at various points.

It's slick & slimy to allow for easy movement.

Sort of a combo mouse/joystick/whatever. That looks like a big blob of snot. And feels *worse*.

Have fun trying to hack that alien computer, guys!

Comments

[scott-sanford.livejournal.com]

I remember Swordsmith very well! Ah, those were the days.

Yes, something like a gyro-mouse - with sound effects, I'd hope - with a chording keyboard. It could be quite perplexing to figure out without someone to demonstrate proper use.

[kengr]

Hey, the sound effects were half the fun. I can picture it starting up and somebody ducking for cover or diving across the room.

If you want a chording keyboard, there are not horribly expensive braille keyboards (they've got six buttons plus a couple extra for special purposes. The six keys map to the 6 dots in a braille "cell". The things you learn having a blind friend.)

Come to think of it, you could do a chording keyboard of that sort for Tolkien's Tengwar Elvish script. There aren't that many elements to a character and they are related enough to make it workable.