The Mouse
The mouse is one of the most important parts of the computer; along with the keyboard, it allows you to control the computer.
The Cursor
When you move the mouse, the cursor moves on the screen. Usually the cursor looks like this:
When you move the cursor over text, it may change to look like this:
The cursor can change into many, many different shapes.
There are several types of mice:
Basic Two-Button Mouse
A normal computer mouse has two main buttons (left and right) and a scroll wheel.
The left button will select things on your computer.
The right-hand button will cause a pop-up (contextual) menu to appear. We say that you "right-click" the mouse.
 |
This is a pop-up menu (also called a "contextual" menu). It appears when you right-click the mouse. |
The scroll wheel will scroll a page up and down. If there is no scroll bar on the right side, then the scroll wheel may control the bottom scroll bar, which scrolls the page left and right.
The scroll wheel is also a third button, and usually it can be set to do whatever you want. Some mice can also add more buttons--there are 5-button mice, 6-button mice, and more.
Cable / Wireless
Although many mice still use a cable (the "tail" of the mouse), new mice are wireless. Some use IR (infra-red) light, and need to be close to a base station. But newer wireless mice use Bluetooth, a type of radio that many computers now have built-in.
Bluetooth mice are better as they do not require a base station. At least they may require a small USB "dongle," a thumbnail-sized device to add Bluetooth ability to your computer. If your computer has Bluetooth built-in, you would not need a dongle. Bluetooth can work anywhere in the room you are in.
Bluetooth will soon be replaced by wireless USB and a very-high-speed version of WiFi.
Clicking Moves
It may seem simple to click a mouse, but there are several different ways.
Single click is the usual thing that people know. It selects things, or decides a location.
Double-click is used to open things icons or to select words in documents. In order for the double-click to work, you must hold the mouse still (don't move while clicking), and click fast.
Triple-click is used in some programs to select a larger area.
Then there is the "click-and-drag." This allows you to make a selection starting at one point and ending in another point. Imagine you are drawing a square. Click in one place to start the square. But keep the button pressed down, and then move the mouse. When you reach the opposite corner of the square, stop and let go of the button.
You can also double-click-and-drag, and triple-click-and-drag (in some situations).
Another move is called "drag-and-drop." Drag-and-drop is similar to click-and-drag. You click on an icon and drag it to another location; but instead of ending at a blank location, you drag the icon to another icon. The second icon will become dark; when you let go of the mouse, the first icon will go "inside" the second icon. In this way, you can put a file into a folder.
Then you can use keyboard-and-mouse combinations, like CONTROL-click, SHIFT-click, and so on, to get different effects.
We will learn more about mouse moves when we study MS Word later in the semester.
