Question for the Pen Geeks who also like tablet Computers

[Silverbreeze]

I am actually in IT for my pay the bills job. And I am sure there are a few like me in the fountain pen community. And I have a few questions that nag at me.

1. Why do pen makers put the Touch Device stylus in the cap of a fountain pen? Isn't that just asking for a cap full of ink?
2. Why hasn't anyone made a Touch Device stylus tip in the form of a nib yet, something along the shape of a Vanishing Point nib? I can't be the only person who finds the round ball like tips extremely annoying and often even less useful then the big fat stylus that nature has already provided me

If this is in the wrong subforum I apologize

Thanks

[carlos.q]

I also find the round ball like tips awful and I really don't have an answer to your questions, but there is a site that sells some very unusual models of stylus, including one that has a round plastic thingie that mimics a fountain pen, and another that has a fine tip that should be more comfortable to use. I have not tried any of these but they seem interesting:
http://www.adonit.net/

[Silverbreeze]

I also find the round ball like tips awful and I really don't have an answer to your questions, but there is a site that sells some very unusual models of stylus, including one that has a round plastic thingie that mimics a fountain pen, and another that has a fine tip that should be more comfortable to use. I have not tried any of these but they seem interesting:
http://www.adonit.net/

Yes I have one of the orginal Gun Metal Jot Pro actually. Still a huge disc :)

[kia]

I am no expert, but I kind of suspect:

1. For the most part, there are only two places to put the stylus, on the top of the cap or on the bottom of the barrel. Aesthetically speaking, for me, the top of the cap makes the most sense, and since we aren't using our pens to write on a touch screen, it is likely capped and this is just the "natural" way we want to use a pen. I doubt there will be too much ink in the cap from the use, as like with a fountain pen nib, there should only be a gentle touch to the screen from the stylus, and there shouldn't be too much shaking or movement to promote lots of ink in the barrel. That's my theory, anyway.

2. I've wondered the same, why not more of a conical shape instead of round, more like writing with a nib. My best thought for answer is more contact with the stylus to the surface of the touch screen. Touch screens are so unbelievably touchy when accepting lines and pokes for selections. Those stylus readers in stores for signing your life away to your credit card company, well I have noticed the thicker the stylus, the more likely it is to actually have something show up, and also not "train" the screen for just a pinpoint area for touch acceptance. Again, that's just my theory.

That said, I avoided upgrading to Windows 8.1 and just switched to Mac. It's a slow training process of my crinkly gray matter without having to always have a touch screen (and more screens to clean).

I would be curious of others' theories, or even the actual reasons, if there is someone out there in the know.

[Apprenti]

Kimy, glad to see you're a Mac user now! They're expensive, but at the computer doesn't ask you 'are you sure you want to do what you just did? Are you completely sure? I'm sorry, we don't support that, would you like to search for a suitable application? No suitable application found, now shutting down. Installing 11 updates...' Ugh, I despise PCs >:( We've actually just got a new Mac Mini. Unfortunately, we don't have the lead to plug it in yet. Hopefully tomorrow...

As for the stylus, I have a few ideas:
Larger contact area means greater conducting properties means it will actually work most of the time.
Larger contact area also means no screen scratches.

That's what I suspect, at least. You can make a stylus out of a biro and some tin foil. I tried it using the tip of the pen, and it didn't work at all. Then I tried with the round end, and it did work! Fun experiment.

[Newjelan]

I agree that the large round surface of the stylus makes it more difficult to write with.

My understanding is that stylus makers need to minimise the chance of a "hard" edge coming in contact with the screen and the more rounded and padded the stylus, the less likely it is to scratch the screen. Also, if the "ball tip" is too small it's more likely to go flat/squash and hence more likely to damage the screen. That being said, I find that years of fountain pen use means my touch is so light that I have terrible problems with "skipping" when I use a stylus and rarely use it anymore.

[Silverbreeze]

I agree that the large round surface of the stylus makes it more difficult to write with.

My understanding is that stylus makers need to minimise the chance of a "hard" edge coming in contact with the screen and the more rounded and padded the stylus, the less likely it is to scratch the screen. Also, if the "ball tip" is too small it's more likely to go flat/squash and hence more likely to damage the screen. That being said, I find that years of fountain pen use means my touch is so light that I have terrible problems with "skipping" when I use a stylus and rarely use it anymore.

Glad to know I am not the only one having sensitivity issues
Thanks