by Dan Briody, InfoWorld columnist

From...

(IDG) -- Every once in a while, an issue grips the mobile community so relentlessly that it threatens to tear it apart at the seams. These are battles that are waged with religious fervor, touching the very core of the road warrior's belief system. They are ugly skirmishes, turning friends to enemies, pitting sibling against sibling. They are dirty wars in which no one wins, and everyone loses.

One such division has been polarizing mobile computer users for years now, and there seems to be no end in sight. I'm not talking about Palm Pilot vs. Windows CE. I'm not referring to the imminent Subway Series in New York between the Mets and Yankees. (Editor's note: This column was filed Oct. 14, when the author's beloved Mets were trailing Atlanta 2-0, down but not quite out.)

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By now, I'm sure you're all very well aware of what I'm talking about -- the civil war raging over pointing devices.

In talking to hundreds of mobile computer users, I've found that there seems to be no middle ground between touchpads and TrackPoints (the little eraser-like thingy wedged between the "G" and "H" on your keyboard), and the chasm grows wider every day. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, which is why the dispute rages on. People always have a clear favorite, and will defend their pointing device's honor under any circumstances.

A touchpad is more like a mouse, the most common tool for pointing on a desktop computer. Many users argue that it is more intuitive and easier to use. But have you ever had the disconcerting experience of not being able to move the cursor across the screen with one of these things? It's as if my finger isn't registering on the touchpad. It's like walking past a mirror and not seeing your reflection -- very creepy.

On the other hand, the TrackPoint never seems to fail to register. And these little devils are great space savers, a key attribute for any mobile computer. But it can be difficult to move and even harder to pinpoint the pointer. And my TrackPoint, in yet another disconcerting trend, tends to melt down, exposing a metal nub that, after four hours of use, leaves a dimple-like indentation in my index finger.

Many notebook users avoid the debate altogether and pack an external mouse when they travel. But that tends to defeat the purpose of keeping a light load while traveling. So I've decided to make do with what I have.

But I think I may have the solution that can put an end to this sad, bloody conflict. This seemingly endless struggle can be over in less than a year if notebook makers heed my advice. The answer is so simple, many have missed it. It is, of course, touchscreens.

Yes, touchscreens. They are the most intuitive way to interact with your computer. Think about it; when you want to move a file from one side of your screen to the other, what is your first instinct? Just pick it up and move it over, right? Besides, I'm faster and more accurate when using a device with a touchscreen. And those little styli are handy to chew on when you're deep in thought.

Touchscreens currently are the domain of handheld devices and tablets. But what is keeping notebook makers from building this feature into their products? It seems like so little to do to resolve the pointing-device conflict once and for all.

There -- I've done my part in settling this terrible, raging battle. I hope that notebook vendors can see that there is a better way.

Dan Briody is an InfoWorld editor at large based in New York.