Bugzilla

Unfortunately, this is a known issue and is (IMO) a reason why the W3C should either deprecate the entire "primary pointer" concept in CSS and deal only with the "any pointer" queries, or flesh out the "primary pointer" concept further to deal with the reality of modern computers.

When dealing with modern, complex multi-input machines like the one Lavinia Darabus has (has a touchscreen, a touchpad, and also has a mouse plugged into it) it's not very obvious what the "primary pointer" should be. If the user suddenly starts using their touchscreen to scroll, does that suddenly become the primary pointer? Even if the user doesn't have a mouse plugged in -- Is the touchscreen (`pointer:coarse`) the "primary pointer" or is the touchpad (`pointer: fine`)?

And the bigger question: As a website developer, does knowing the "primary pointer" really add value? Even if the user has a mouse plugged into their touchscreen tablet device, the fact is that they have a touchscreen that they may use at any time -- Maybe your website should display touch-friendly controls if it even detects a touchscreen (`any-pointer: coarse`).

That being said -- We can probably still do a better job with the under-specified concept of "primary pointer". Perhaps this logic is better than what we have:

1. If there is an external mouse or tablet pen, it's the primary pointer
2. Otherwise, if there is a touchscreen, it's the primary pointer
3. Otherwise, if there is a touchpad or an internal tablet digitizer, it's the primary pointer
4. Otherwise, there is no pointing device (this can realistically never happen due to the Microsoft "virtual mouse" concept

The above is based on my unscientific, unproven assumptions about the expectations people would have using their computers that I can in-no-way prove is better than the implementation we have now.

I'll assign it to myself, and when I get cycles to work on this again I'll take a crack at it.

Unfortunately, this is a known issue and is (IMO) a reason why the W3C should either deprecate the entire "primary pointer" concept in CSS and deal only with the "any pointer" queries, or flesh out the "primary pointer" concept further to deal with the reality of modern computers.

When dealing with modern, complex multi-input machines like the one Lavinia Darabus has (has a touchscreen, a touchpad, and also has a mouse plugged into it) it's not very obvious what the "primary pointer" should be. If the user suddenly starts using their touchscreen to scroll, does that suddenly become the primary pointer? Even if the user doesn't have a mouse plugged in -- Is the touchscreen (`pointer:coarse`) the "primary pointer" or is the touchpad (`pointer: fine`)?

And the bigger question: As a website developer, does knowing the "primary pointer" really add value? Even if the user has a mouse plugged into their touchscreen tablet device, the fact is that **they have a touchscreen ** -- there's nothing stopping them from poking buttons on their screen with their finger; maybe your website should display touch-friendly controls if it even detects a touchscreen? (`any-pointer: coarse`).

That being said -- We can probably still do a better job with the under-specified concept of "primary pointer". Perhaps this logic is better than what we have:

1. If there is an external mouse or tablet pen, it's the primary pointer
2. Otherwise, if there is a touchscreen, it's the primary pointer
3. Otherwise, if there is a touchpad or an internal tablet digitizer, it's the primary pointer
4. Otherwise, there is no pointing device (this can realistically never happen due to the Microsoft "virtual mouse" concept

The above is based on my unscientific, unproven assumptions about the expectations people would have using their computers that I can in-no-way prove is better than the implementation we have now.

I'll assign it to myself, and when I get cycles to work on this again I'll take a crack at it.

Unfortunately, this is a known issue and is (IMO) a reason why the W3C should either deprecate the entire "primary pointer" concept in CSS and deal only with the "any pointer" queries, or flesh out the "primary pointer" concept further to deal with the reality of modern computers.

When dealing with modern, complex multi-input machines like the one Lavinia Darabus has (has a touchscreen, a touchpad, and also has a mouse plugged into it) it's not very obvious what the "primary pointer" should be. If the user suddenly starts using their touchscreen to scroll, does that suddenly become the primary pointer? Even if the user doesn't have a mouse plugged in -- Is the touchscreen (`pointer:coarse`) the "primary pointer" or is the touchpad (`pointer: fine`)?

And the bigger question: As a website developer, does knowing the "primary pointer" really add value? Even if the user has a mouse plugged into their touchscreen tablet device, the fact is that **they have a touchscreen ** -- there's nothing stopping them from poking buttons on their screen with their finger; maybe your website should display touch-friendly controls if it even detects a touchscreen? (`any-pointer: coarse`).

That being said -- We can probably still do a better job with the under-specified concept of "primary pointer". Perhaps this logic is better than what we have:

1. If there is an external mouse or tablet pen, it's the primary pointer
2. Otherwise, if there is a touchscreen, it's the primary pointer
3. Otherwise, if there is a touchpad or an internal tablet digitizer, it's the primary pointer
4. Otherwise, there is no pointing device (this can realistically never happen due to the Microsoft "virtual mouse" concept)

The above is based on my unscientific, unproven assumptions about the expectations people would have using their computers that I can in-no-way prove is better than the implementation we have now.

I'll assign it to myself, and when I get cycles to work on this again I'll take a crack at it.