Input Devices : Mouse

A mouse is the most common pointing device. You move the mouse around on a mat and a small cursor called a pointer follows your movements on the computer screen. By pressing a button on the mouse (most mice have 1,2 or 3 buttons) you can select options using icons or menus on the screen. Mice can also be used to "draw" onto the screen. They are particularly useful if your computer has a graphical user interface.

Most mice use a small ball located underneath them to calculate the direction that you are moving the mouse in. As you move the mouse this ball rotates. The mouse monitors how far the ball turns and in what direction and sends this information to the computer to move the pointer.

GCSE ICT Companion 04 - (C) P Meakin 2004