Trackball ball and jacquard loom: what they have in common

1. Step 1. Trackball ball — is part of — Trackball. It is spun with the fingers.
2. Step 2. Trackball — has part — Ball bearing. The ball rotates on supports.
3. Step 3. Ball bearing — is part of — Ballpoint pen. A ball in a socket — essentially a ball bearing.
4. Step 4. Ballpoint pen — uses — Ink. Thick oil-based ink.
5. Step 5. Ink — is used in — Gutenberg printing press. An impression needs ink; Gutenberg used an oil-based one.
6. Step 6. Gutenberg printing press — works like — Jacquard loom. An analogy, not proven influence: both set type and a chain of punched cards are a replaceable pattern that a machine reproduces over and over.

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