A computer mouse is a portable pointing device that tracks motion on a surface. This motion is often converted into the movement of a pointer on a screen, enabling smooth control of a computer’s graphical user interface or GUI. Now, we shall talk about its five crucial functions, and this article will help explain every one in depth.
Let’s dive deep into it.
The Five Uses Of a Mouse
I. Pointer: Moving a Mouse Pointer
The most basic use of a mouse is moving it across your mouse pad. While writing this article, I even moved the mouse pointer to edit and make changes to the article you are reading right now.
It helps move the mouse cursor from one place on the screen to another. For example, your pointer is near the taskbar of the browser. You drive it towards the minimize button, so the application temporarily shuts down for a while. If you want to open it, you will click on the application’s icon on the taskbar, and your application will appear on the screen.
This is how a mouse pointer works. It does the job of closing, opening, selecting and choosing items on your monitor.
II. Hovering: Keeping the Cursor on an Object without Clicking it.
You use a mouse for hovering too. You place your cursor on an object without clicking on it; let’s say you hover over the cross button, and a prompt will pop up and tell you that it is the close button by showing “Close” on it. You can also hover over some links and get the link’s content details. Sometimes, hovering over a link can even change its color to depict that you are currently seeing this link.
III. Clicking: Opening and Closing Applications
One of the primary goals of a mouse is choosing an object on the monitor. You click on the item you want to select. Once chosen, it opens on your screen. One example is when you click the cross button to close the application. Another example would be when you click on Chrome, the browser opens, and then you click on the search bar to type the website you wish to visit.
IV. Dragging and Dropping
You use a mouse pointer for dragging and dropping files. For example, when you want to store images on Google Drive, you can either upload it or drag the image from the folder and directly drop it in Drive. That way, your photo gets uploaded. Even for attachments, Gmail allows dropping the file/image you wish to attach in the mail.
V. Choosing: Selecting Applications
A mouse is used for selecting objects too. You click on an application, and it opens. Let’s say you click on the start icon on your Windows computer, and the whole menu appears. A mouse also has two keys: a right key for right clicking and a left key for left clicking. Right-click selects the item you wish to use, and the left-click opens options related to that particular item.
Conclusion
So, to sum it up, a mouse has various functions. Here they are summarized:
- Pointer: Moving a Mouse Pointer.
- Hovering: Keeping the Cursor on an Object without Clicking it.
- Clicking: Opening and Closing Applications.
- Dragging and Dropping.
- Choosing: Selecting Applications.
Also, read 10 Uses Of Computer Networks.