I have a lot more reason to avoid dell all together but the touch pads on my 
laptops have never been an issue for me.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2006 12:24 AM
Subject: Re: turning touch-pad mouse off on new Dell laptop


Well, that's one reason to avoid Dell laptops.  My Averatech does allow the
mouse to be turned off from the control panel.  Dell apparently doesn't
allow users to do that conveniently.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "T Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2006 10:31 PM
Subject: turning touch-pad mouse off on new Dell laptop


>    Hi, all.
>
> I just wanted to update the list on my progress with  turning  off the
> touch-pad mouse on the new Dell Lattitude 610 laptop that my University
> just
> got me.
>
> It turns out that, both the folks from Dell, and the techs at the
> University
> agree that the only way to disable the touch-pad mouse is to get into the
> bios and do it mannuallly from there.
>
> Apparently, you can no longer do it from the control panel, like you could
> do in earlier laptops.
>
> So much for progress with increased accessability, eh?
>
> Now, if a keyboard-challenged sighted person needs to use the laptop,
> they'll have to borrow the external USB mouse that came with the computer.
>
> On the one hand, this is not what I had counted on, but on the other hand,
> it may be an advantage, since now it will be harder for someone else to
> mess
> with the computer and the various settings I have programmed into it for
> Jaws and the other software I use.
>
> Anyway, just thought you folks would want to know.
>
> As always, I truly appreciate all of your various suggestions, and hope
> you
> didn't mind the "off topic" nature of the question.
>
> 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ, Big Rapids, MI
>