The (hypothetical) scene:
CNET meeting room, day. Three CNET editors sit at a conference table, surrounded by coffee cups. They're debating the merits of a new ultraportable laptop.
Editor 1
Great performance, great battery life, a great all-around machine. There's one feature that could be a major downside, though.
Editor 2
What's that?
Editor 1
Well, there's a pointing stick, but no touch pad.
Editor 3
Gah! That is an absolute deal-breaker. I hate those things!
Editor 1
You know, they don't bother me, but I know some people have strong feelings about them.
Editor 3
To me, this laptop is useless without a touch pad. There's clearly room on the case to fit one in, so why didn't they include it?
Editor 1
Haven't you ever been typing on a small laptop and accidentally grazed the touch pad? Your cursor winds up several paragraphs away. Infuriating!
Editor 3
Yes, but that's minor compared with the frustration of that tiny stick, which is a pointless legacy feature.
Editor 2
You know, I prefer a touch pad myself, and I'd bet that most of our readers do, too.
Editor 1
Well, we should ask.
Editor 2 and Editor 3 (in unison)
Agreed.
So, dear reader, please let us know your laptop navigation preference in the poll below, and feel free to elaborate in the comments.
CNET News poll