I never found it easy to use the TrackPoint - it seemed rather more counterintuitive than the TrackPad but perhaps I never used one for long enough.
Have a recent MacBook and an elderly Asus laptop with TrackPads - I can use 'em, but I'm so used to a mouse...
Solution - a mini-mouse in a USB port - now I'm happy.
Guess it's what you're used to
[Just love the MacBook I must say - but I won't switch to Leopard just yet]