It was never very useful. If you are typing and you need to quickly use the mouse and the nub is nearby it can be sometimes convenient. Over time the nubs can wear down and cause your cursor to drift so they have to be disabled in the BIOS or physically disconnected. I have never known anyone who wanted to get the nub repaired. People adore the nub but I don't know anyone who admires it and uses it for anything past a small convenience you wouldn't notice if it were gone.
Hi 76j67kj67k67, I'm matthiaswh. I use the nub every day and admire its ease of use and precision. In fact, I like it so much I went out and bought a separate keyboard with its own nub that I can use when the laptop is docked.
Now you know someone.
P.S. The drift usually happens when you hold the nub in a particular direction for too long, or on occasion if the screen is pressing on it when closed. It's irritating, but can often be addressed (although some models are worse than others).
