Pointing devices

Instead of typing, directly some items can be selected from computer screen,
for example "print" or "close" button. This can be done using point and draw
devices, such as mouse. Not only to select, but drawing of line, curve and
shapes is also possible with such devices.
Other examples of point and draw devices are joystick, light pea, touch pad or
track ball and touch screen.
Mouse
Mouse is a pointing device used to point a particular place on the screen and
select to perform one or more actions (Figure 2.3). It can be used to select
menu commands, resize windows, selecting actions from screen icons, etc. A
mouse primarily comprises of three parts: the buttons, the handling area, and
the rolling object. By default, the mouse is configured to work for the right
hand. The left-handed persons can change the settings as per the needs.
Put the right hand on the mouse, the index finger goes on the left button, and
the middle finger goes on the right button (Figure 2.4 [a & b]). Hold the mouse
with thumb and ring finger. To click, press a mouse button lightly and release
it immediately.
Mouse pointer The mouse pointer allows to point on the screen. The pointer
changes as shown below.
This mouse pointer will appear as you move it around the screen (it can also be
used to move things).
Fig. 2.3: Mouse buttons Fig. 2.4 (a) How to hold the mouse
Fig. 2.4 (b) Position of fingers while holding the mouse
Left button
Right button
Left Right
Scroll Wheel
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DATA ENTRY AND KEYBOARDING SKILLS
It will appear as you move it around the screen.
This mouse pointer will also appear as you move it around the screen,
particularly if it is over text. (This shape can be seen when you are about to
type text.).
While working on a web browser, the pointer change to a pointing finger
symbol as moved it over the page. This identifies a hyperlink. Click the left
mouse button once to follow the hyperlink to another page.
Mouse operations All mouse do not use the same mechanical operation but all
of them accomplish the same task. Some of them use a tracking ball at the
bottom and some of them use a type of light beam to detect the motion of
mouse.
Laptops are equipped with a small flat surface or sometimes with a very short
stick for performing same job as mouse. The most conventional kind of mouse
has two or three buttons on its top. These buttons are used for different
actions. Using left button of mouse different operations like selection, dragging,
moving and pasting can be done. With the right button we can open a context
menu for an item, if it is applicable.
Fig. 2.4: Correct and incorrect positioning of fingers on the mouse
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22 DOMESTIC DATA ENTRY OPERATOR – CLASS IX
The common mouse actions are as follows: (a) Click or left click: It is used
to select an item.
Press down once on the left button with your index finger. (b) Double click:
It is used to start a program or open a file or trigger an action. (c) Right
click: It is used to display a set of commands and available options. Move the
mouse pointer to the desired position, position your middle finger on the right
mouse button, keeping the mouse still, click lightly with the middle finger on
the right button. (d) Drag and drop: It allows to select and move an item
from one location to another. Position the mouse on an object, hold down the
left side of the mouse, and drag the object. (e) Scroll: Many applications
provide scrollbars on right side of screen if the page length is more than the
monitor/screen length. Instead of using page down key or arrow keys, one can
use scroll key of a mouse to scroll up or down. If the scroll key is not available,
one can click on the scroll bar on the application screen with the let button of
the mouse. Use the scroll wheel on the mouse to move the page on the screen
up or down. (f) Blocking: Blocking is another way of selecting text. It is used
to select text that needs to be edited or formatted. Click at the beginning of the
word or sentence and hold down the left button, then drag along the text and
see it being highlighted in black. At the end of the text or sentence release the
left button.
Typing ergonomics
Typing ergonomics provides the logistic support for efficient and effective
typewriting. They are important to attain and maintain accuracy and speed.
Some of these factors included are as given as below.
Sitting posture
While operating the computer keyboard, sit straight, slightly bending your neck
forward. Check your comfort
NOTES
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Fig. 2.5: Sitting posture while working on computer
and sitting position of body. Touch the lower portion of your back to the lower
portion of the back rest of the chair. Touch both the feet to the floor (Figure
2.5).
Position of hands
Put your forearms at level with the keyboard and palms down (Figure 2.6).
Keep your wrists straight and hang
Fig. 2.6 Correct screen angle view Fig. 2.7 Wrong way of sitting
WRONG!
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24 DOMESTIC DATA ENTRY OPERATOR – CLASS IX
your elbows naturally. Don’t touch the elbows to the body nor be too far away
from the body (Figure 2.7).
Bend at about a 90 degree angle.
Monitor placement
Do not bend your neck while working on the monitor and keep the upper
border of screen at eye level. The distance of screen from the user depends on
the size of the screen. Keep an approximate distance of about 60–65 cms for 17
inches screen.
Mouse and keyboard placement
Keep the keyboard and mouse together at an approximate distance of 20 cms,
which will help in smooth and effortless operation of keyboard. Same height of
keyboard, mouse and elbows helps the users to work comfortably.
Chair and table placement
Adjust computer chair and table to an optimal height.
The chair of the computer user must be supportive to his/her lower back.
Keyboard and vibrating devices, such as printers, should be on separate tables.
The computer table should also have sufficient space for your legs. With the
correct ergonomics, typewriting becomes a natural phenomenon without
causing unnecessary fatigue.
Placement of matter to be typed
Place the matter for typing to the left or right side of the keyboard preferably on
a Copy Holder which has a sloping surface.
Positioning of fingers on the keyboard
As typing is equivalent to pen or pencil now-a-days, mastery of computer
keyboard has become obvious.
Mastery typewriting skills means to attain necessary knowledge and skill of
keyboard operation by correct positioning of fingers.
In the Home Row Approach, also called Horizontal Approach, all the eight
fingers of both the hands rest on
NOTES
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Home Keys during the keyboard operation. The fingers are trained to make the
correct movement to the other keys in such a way that each finger returns
immediately to its home key after it has depressed the corresponding key in
any other row. The thumb of the right hand is used to operate the Space Bar.
Allocation of keys to fingers
The keyboard learning process starts from the second row (Home Row) followed
by the Third Row (Upper Row), First Row (Bottom Row) and the Fourth Row
(Number Row). The fingers of both the hands have to operate the keys allotted
to them on each row (Figure 2.8). It must be remembered that each finger has
to operate only the key allotted to it.
Allocation of keys to fingers on the second row (home row)
Place four fingers of each hand on Home Keys as shown in Figure 2.9. The
remaining two keys ‘g’ and ‘h’ on the second row are operated by the forefingers
(Index Finger) of left and right hand, respectively.
Let's Practice 1
A. Type the following in double line spacing to get perfection over the
Home Row. asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh
asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh
asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh Instructions: • Do not look at the keyboard • Each letter
should come beneath the other • Concentrate your mind on the text • Typing
should be done quite accurately with constant rhythm • Repeat this process
until mastery over this exercise
Fig. 2.8: Allocation of keys to fingers
Fig. 2.9: Positioning of fingers on the Home row
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26 DOMESTIC DATA ENTRY OPERATOR – CLASS IX
Let's Practice 2
B. Type the following in double line spacing to get perfection over the
Home Row. asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh
asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh
asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh
asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh asdfg;lkjh fads lall dask sad slak flask fads lall
dask sad slak flask fads lall dask sad slak flask fads lall dask sad slak flask
fads lall dask sad slak flask fads lall dask sad slak flask fads lall dask sad
slak flask fads lall dask sad slak flask Instructions • Do not look at the
keyboard • Each letter should come beneath the other • Concentrate your mind
on the text • Typing should be done quite accurately with constant rhythm •
Repeat this process until mastery over this exercise Undertake repeated
practices of typewriting the character on the Home Row without looking at the
keyboard.
Allocation of keys to fingers on the third row (upper row)
The next step is learning the key-reaches from the Home Row to the row above
it. The learning begins with the reaches from ‘a’ to ‘q’ by left hand little finger
and from ‘;’ to ‘p’ by right hand little finger. This is followed by the placement of
the third fingers (Ring fingers) to the adjoining keys ‘w’ and ‘o’ and so on
(Figure 2.10). In the third row, the allotment of fingers is explained below.
Fig: 2.10: Allocation of fingers on the third row
NOTES
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DATA ENTRY AND KEYBOARDING SKILLS
While typing on the upper row, keep fingers on home row. Lift fingers of left
hand and strike upper row key one by one and type q w e r t (r and t are typed
by the same finger) Now, again lift the fingers of right hand and strike upper
row keys one after another and type p o i u y (u and y are typed by the same
finger) You should ensure that one finger should move at a time, while other
fingers should remain on the home row.
Allocation of keys to fingers on the first row (bottom row)
After learning how to operate keys on Home Row and Third Row, the next step
is to learn how to operate keys on the First Row. Keys Z, X, C, V, B, N, M,
Comma, Full Stop and ‘/’ sign are located on this row.
Let's Practice 3
A. Type the following words and sentences in double line spacing to
practice the Upper Row of the keyboard. qwert poiuy qwert poiuy qwert poiuy
qwert poiuy qwert poiuy qwert poiuy qwert poiuy post quite type
quaypoleripehope wait role what show flow goal wool post quite type quay pole
ripe hope wait role what show flow goal wool self help is the order of the day.
Self helpis the order of the day the writer was happy, the writer was happy.
In the earlier two rows, all the eight fingers of both the hands were used to
operate the keys. But while typewriting on the First Row, little finger of left
hand is not used, i.e., no key is assigned to it. So, from the Home Row, turn
downwards the Ring Finger of left hand and strike key ‘z’. Similarly, type keys
‘x’ and ‘c’ with middle and forefinger, respectively. Type full stop, comma, m, n
with little, Ring, Middle and forefinger of right hand, respectively, which will
appear as given below. z x c . , m n Alphabets ‘v’ and ‘b’ are to be typed with
forefinger of left and right hand, respectively.