On Tue, 31 Aug 2021 at 09:12, Jack Craig <jack.craig.aptos@gmail.com> wrote:
just joining the F34  party and craving a touchpad.

recommendations for touchpad on F34/gnome 40??

Serial, USB, or PS2 port?  I assume you have a desktop.  I'm retired, but used to
work with oceanographers.  Computer mice are non-starters for a research vessel,
so we tried a wide range of options -- touchpads, trackballs, keyboards with touchpad,
and Wacom tablets.  The Wacom Bamboo tablets where popular and seemed to
work with everything, but had more features with Windows drivers.   Now everyone
who doesn't need expansion cards for some instrument uses a laptop.

My old desktop has PS2 and serial ports. I have a Cirque GlidePoint Trackpad Desktop Model GDB220
(4 buttons, serial cable with a PS2 adapter).  I use it with the PS2 adapter so the serial port is available
for other devices.   On a newer desktop a USB<-->serial adapter did not work.  What does work for me
is serial<-->PS2<-->USB (2 adapters!).

% dmesg |tail
[175965.213366] usb 1-5.3: New USB device found, idVendor=0a81, idProduct=0205, bcdDevice= 0.10
[175965.213381] usb 1-5.3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[175965.213387] usb 1-5.3: Product: PS2 to USB Converter
[175965.213392] usb 1-5.3: Manufacturer: CHESEN
[175965.230256] input: CHESEN PS2 to USB Converter as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-5/1-5.3/1-5.3:1.0/0003:0A81:0205.000F/input/input25
[175965.283015] hid-generic 0003:0A81:0205.000F: input,hidraw4: USB HID v1.10 Keyboard [CHESEN PS2 to USB Converter] on usb-0000:00:14.0-5.3/input0
[175965.291218] input: CHESEN PS2 to USB Converter Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-5/1-5.3/1-5.3:1.1/0003:0A81:0205.0010/input/input26
[175965.291760] input: CHESEN PS2 to USB Converter System Control as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-5/1-5.3/1-5.3:1.1/0003:0A81:0205.0010/input/input27
[175965.343618] input: CHESEN PS2 to USB Converter Consumer Control as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-5/1-5.3/1-5.3:1.1/0003:0A81:0205.0010/input/input28
[175965.344295] hid-generic 0003:0A81:0205.0010: input,hidraw5: USB HID v1.10 Mouse [CHESEN PS2 to USB Converter] on usb-0000:00:14.0-5.3/input1

I don't have scrolling or gestures, just basic move pointer and click functionality.  Since I
spend most of time in emacs, I don't miss the newfangled features.

The Adesso Smart Cat, 4 Button Glidepoint USB Touchpad (GP-410UB) is similar
and one reviewer said it works with linux, but reviews have many complaints of poor build
quality so I'm looking for another option.  ALPs also sells "GlidePoint" devices, including
modules used in laptops.  Google finds lots of issues for linux users: controlling pointer
sensitivity, missing newfangled features.  If you have access to a computer flea market
or local user group you could ask to try whatever people have in their junk boxes.

At my work I had a Alps keyboard with PS2 and USB connectors and a built-in touchpad.
I liked having the touchpad in a fixed location relative to the keyboard, but would have
preferred the touchpad on the left as I often use my right hand to jot down notes or turn
pages in a reference manual. 

<https://www.adesso.com/product-category/keyboards/touchpad/> has a variety of
keyboards with integral touchpads.  

--
George N. White III