Mouse

A mouse is the primary input device for modern computers that feature operating systems with a graphical user interface, such as Windows 3.11 or Windows 95/98. While keyboards obviously excel at entering text, numbers, and symbols, your mouse is the tool you'll use to tell your computer what to do with all the data you've entered.

Defining Mice

All modern PC operating systems (Windows 3.11, Windows 95, and Macintosh) rely on an on-screen pointer to select and execute commands. A mouse is simply an input device built to help the user control this on-screen pointer in as natural and efficient a manner as possible.

The pointer on the screen mimics the movements of your mouse. As you move your mouse, a ball encased in the bottom of your mouse rolls on the desk and, in turn, sends signals to the computer as to which direction to move the pointer on the screen. Move the mouse side to side or up and down, and the on-screen pointer moves in a similar manner.

Once you have the mouse positioned to select the command or data you want to act on, you use the mouse buttons to execute the command.

Connecting a Mouse

Your mouse connects to your PC either through a dedicated mouse port or a standard 9-pin serial port. Once you're familiar with what the mouse connectors look like, you can go ahead and connect your mouse using the following steps:

1. Save any open documents, and then close all active applications.
2. Identify which type of mouse connector you have and its corresponding connector on the back of your computer.
3. Carefully position the connector so that it matches the connector on the back of your PC, and gently press it into place.
4. In most cases, you'll have to restart your computer in order for the operating system to recognize your mouse.

NOTE: For computers running Windows 3.11, the process is a little more involved and requires installing MS-DOS mouse drivers (mouse.com and mouse.sys in most cases). If you have Windows 3.11, you'll need to refer to the manual that came with your mouse for complete installation instructions.

Tip:You will have greater stability and coordination in the movement and clicking of the mouse if you can achieve the following:

• Try to rest your whole forearm on the desk. Your thumb and little finger should gently squeeze the side of the mouse while resting on the mouse pad.
  
• Your index finger should rest on the left "clicker". As you slide your mouse along the mouse pad you should feel the mouse pad under your thumb and little finger.
  
• Try to move the mouse sideways, forward and back with wrist movement only (you may have to move the whole arm forward and backward in some situations).
  
• You should keep the heel of the hand (where it joins the wrist) on the mouse pad at all times. "Clicking" should be matter of pressing down or squeezing between the thumb and index finger.
  

Mouse functions

The mouse moves a marker usually an arrow around the screen and allows you to select various operations such as menu items, blocking (highlighting), and moving the cursor position (in word processing). Once the mouse arrow or indicator is over the item you want to select, a single click selects (highlights) that item.

Double clicks usually cause a program application to start or to cause an action to happen. Click once anywhere on a blank part of the screen to cancel a mouse operation or to start over. It is like pressing the escape key. You can also perform editing and selecting functions by holding the mouse button down as you slide the mouse fwd or back, up or down and we call this dragging.You release the button when the selection is under the mouse arrow or the item is highlighted.

Try this: Highlight a few words of text, and release the mouse button. Now click again on the highlighted text and while holding down the left button drag the highlighted text to a new position. Right Mouse button The right mouse button is programmed to specific applications. It often calls up a menu. Try pressing it. It is used extensively in games. Some 'mice' have a third (center) button.