tlw
An inexpensive graphics tablet+pen like a Wacom Bamboo set in "mouse emulation mode" does a much better job in Photoshop (and Sonar).

When it comes to the execution of a task, I agree, but as far as integrating a WACOM into my workflow, I found it very awkward to pick up the stylus every time.  I never developed the discipline to put it down in the same place every time and found I often had to hunt for it.  Not for me.  
 
I prefer touch, and agree that a trackball (THUMB-ball to be specific) is best for details.  Btw, the thumb oriented trackball controllers let me keep my fingers on the buttons for easier click and drag.  This is the style and brand I use, though not the actual model.  Mine is no longer on the market, but I prefer it because my hands are huge and clumsy.

I'm a great believer in trackballs rather than mice. They use less space, are at least as accurate and cause far fewer RSI issues. High quality touchpads are also better than mice in my opinion, at least I find them so. Unfortunately most touchpads are anything but high quality, especially the ones built into many laptops and keyboards. Apple's Magic Touchpads are very good, but using them with Windows for any gesture functions means first extracting the relevant drivers from Apple's Boot Camp Windows driver package, or at least it did the last time I checked.

I think that touchscreen is going to be the ultimate interface with anything else between you and your music serving as a distraction. To be able to touch your clip and move/edit it without having to resort to some other hardware would be awesome. I hope Sonar moves in this direction sooner rather than later.
 
John

Does anyone other than me have your computer in the same room with the musicians?

Touch screen gives silent control while tracking.

Th3
Faders
Gains
Spectral analyzers
EQ
Compression
Expanders - useful for quieting Mics when the band stops
Scrolling and zooming to inspect wave forms
Touch is useful on other apps too
DigiCheck
TotalMix

And you never forget what the control is mapped to.

I do prefer a midi foot controller for enabling stomp boxes, but you can use touch for it. Tends to be a double tap. For example, in the video linked above, at 1:40, the user attempts to solo a track but only sets focus. He then solos a different track. The same sort of thing happens in Sonar. He didn't say out loud, gosh, I though that would solo and it didn't, but to me, it looks like that was his intent. He clicked precisely on the solo button and it didn't solo.
 
At 22 mins he switches to the mouse. 
 
Idk... I applaud the Sonar developers who did a slow roll into touch. They have been thinking and adding and tuning touch for years now. I really like it. I look forward to how they will release the ability to work in PRV or with envelopes using touch.
 
I still use the mouse a lot. I expect to continue to use it a fair amount. For me, giving up the mouse provides me no real value. Heck, the mouse isn't precise enough for setting some values. I often double click a param and set it exactly where I want it using the 10 key.

John
Ones finger is really a very poor and imprecise means to do that sort of thing. The act of placing your finger on the screen obscures the point you want to control.

Did you watch Steven Slate work with SOP, John? Watch at 2:45 and be amazed. Looks like it's a new day for touch on a Raven. I have a very finite amount I can do with Sonar, but I love what I can do. If Sonar was as well implemented with single touch as most other DAWs, I'd be in heaven. Heck, I can't even touch a track or bus to select it in SPLAT. Once Slate puts the Sonar Windows software together, it won't matter if Sonar works on touch or not, if I understand correctly. The Raven software will make Sonar do what Sonar doesn't do with touch.

Remember he's working on the Mac for Studio One. Raven is not available yet on windows except for the beta for Pro Tools.

Sorry. Raven for PC is out of beta for the Pro Tools version.

John
I have a laptop that is also a tablet with touch. It comes with a stylus and woks very well for drawing in automation. Ones finger is really a very poor and imprecise means to do that sort of thing. The act of placing your finger on the screen obscures the point you want to control.

I've wondered about getting a stylus for my touch screen, I'm going to look out for one (Once I get the screen fixed)

Seems I have a lot to catch up on with Slates Raven.

Apparently Sonar and Studio One work out of the box but I need to find out more.

The thing is, support for Sonar to make it function like the video shows (mixing gamer changer) is coming. It's a matter of time for Slate's bakers to get it done. Eventually batch commander will hit for it as well. I think the MTi2 screen alone is a big boost from a Planar or Acer, from talking with Jamey @ SS.

Touch is not yet the panacea for all control.  To accomplish that, the screens need to be giant, so your fingertip can work as a stylus tip.  And the software ain't there either - look how long it took the bakers to figure out how to pick different envelopes on a screen with a mouse.  And how is even a smart screen supposed to know which line of several your finger is picking out?
 
A studio owner I work with tried the smaller Slate but traded up for a board controller - that works better for him.  Slate obviously has done some good work figuring out how to make touch work better, and I will love the day I can touch a screen channel and have right-sized knobs and buttons fly-out so I can manipulate a channel like actual physical controllers.  Maybe vibrating feedback too like some screens in cars.  And cost less than the computer itself.  Remember, it took the simple mouse years and a new technology to overcome the limitations of the mechanical mouse and having to clean all the gunk of the revolving ball unless you worked in a clean room.
 
Until then I'll use a 20+ inch touch screen as a favorite method of controlling some aspects of DAWing, like synths (where touch works very well).  I like having my own comfortable distribution of tasks using the keyboard, mouse and screen.  When the screens get bigger and cheaper (we seem to have struck a lull in those depts.) I'll re-jigger my methods again to take further advantage.  But even then I'll keep a keyboard. My all-in-one with a 23 inch screen still doesn't work best even for typing in the MS password, so I keep its keyboard balanced on my lap for those kind of tasks.