Yep ! The mouse isn't a mouse if it's on the home row. :)
Not enough people got behind the trackpoint in its day and it makes me sad that it's not the default mouse input for programmers.
I used to have one of the old thinkpad external keyboards - http://www.notebookreview.com/notebookreview/lenovo-thinkpad... - and I used those until they broke and I couldn't find more.
I haven't used the unicomp ones, but I can wholeheartedly recommend the shinobi.