A Mouse Is A Small Device That A Co

A mouse is a small device that a computer user pushes across a desk surface in
order to point to a place on a display screen and to select one or more actions to
take from that position. The mouse first became a widely-used computer tool when
Apple Computer made it a standard part of the Apple Macintosh. Today, the mouse is
an integral part of the graphical user interface (GUI) of any personal computer.
The mouse apparently got its name by being about the same size and color as a toy
mouse.
A mouse consists of a metal or plastic housing or casing, a ball that sticks out of
the bottom of the casing and is rolled on a flat surface, one or more buttons on
the top of the casing, and a cable that connects the mouse to the computer. As the
ball is moved over the surface in any direction, a sensor sends impulses to the
computer that causes a mouse-responsive program to reposition a visible indicator
(called a cursor) on the display screen. The positioning is relative to some
variable starting place. Viewing the cursor's present position, the user readjusts
the position by moving the mouse.
The most conventional kind of mouse has two buttons on top: the left one is used
most frequently. In the Windows operating systems, it lets the user click once to
send a "Select" indication that provides the user with feedback that a particular
position has been selected for further action. The next click on a selected
position or two quick clicks on it causes a particular action to take place on the
selected object. For example, in Windows operating systems, it causes a program
associated with that object to be started. The second button, on the right, usually
provides some less-frequently needed capability. For example, when viewing a Web
page, you can click on an image to get a popup menu that, among other things, lets
you save the image on your hard disk. Some mouses have a third button for
additional capabilities. Some mouse manufacturers also provide a version for left-
handed people.
Windows 95 and other operating systems let the user adjust the sensitivity of the
mouse, including how fast it moves across the screen, and the amount of time that
must elapse within a "double click.". In some systems, the user can also choose
among several different cursor appearances. Some people use a mousepad to improve
traction for the mouse ball.
Although the mouse has become a familiar part of the personal computer, its design
continues to evolve and there continue to be other approaches to pointing or
positioning on a display. Notebook computers include built-in mouse devices that
let you control the cursor by rolling your finger over a built-in trackball. IBM's
ScrollPoint mouse adds a small "stick" between two mouse buttons that lets you
scroll a Web page or other content up or down and right or left. Users of graphic
design and CAD applications can use a stylus and a specially-sensitive pad to draw
as well as move the cursor. Other display screen-positioning ideas include a video
camera that tracks the user's eye movement and places the cursor accordingly.
This was last updated in September 2005

Continue Reading About mouse
If you're still getting used to using a mouse, Lawrence Goetz has a Web page where
you can practice using your mouse .
Hunter Digital has a NoHands Mouse that lets you place the cursor by using a foot
pedal.
At whatis.com, several of us use Microsoft's IntelliMouse, described on its home
page of Pointing Devices .
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A mouse is a small device that a computer user pushes across a desk surface in

This was last updated in September 2005

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