What is a mouse?

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.

Types of mouse

There are two main types of mice:
• Wired. Wired mice are connected to the computer by a cable. Wired mice are more reliable than wireless mice, but they can be more difficult to use with laptops and other portable devices.

• Wireless. Wireless mice use radio waves to communicate with the computer. They can be more expensive, and they may have a shorter battery life

Features and capabilities of mouse

Mouse have a variety of features and capabilities, including the following:
• Buttons. Mice typically have two buttons, but some mice have three or more buttons. The buttons can be used to perform different actions, such as clicking on objects, scrolling through text and opening menus.
• Scroll wheel. The scroll wheel is a wheel that is located between the two buttons on a mouse. It can be used to scroll up and down through text or images.
• Laser sensor. Laser sensors are used to track the movement of the mouse. Laser sensors are more accurate than optical sensors, but they can be more expensive.
• Wireless connectivity. Wireless mice use radio waves to communicate with the computer.

What is the mouse pointer?

If you move or hover the pointer over an element that can be clicked, it may change from an arrow into a hand, indicating that you can click it.
• The right-click
The right-click action is performed by clicking once on the right mouse button. Depending on what you click, a right click usually makes a menu appear that has a range of options in it.
• The double-click
A double-click is performed when you click twice with the left mouse button. The two clicks need to be done in rapid succession, and you might find it can take a bit of practice to get this just right.
• Scrolling with the mouse scroll wheel
You can scroll a web page or a multi-paged document using the scroll wheel on your mouse. Rotate the wheel with your index finger while on a web page, to make the contents of the page move up or down. You can then see content on the parts of the page that don’t fit on the screen.

Source:
https://www.techtarget.com/
https://beconnected.esafety.gov.au/

Date of Input: 28/02/2025 | Updated: 27/03/2025 | zuraya