NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Mouse click

A mouse is a handheld pointing device for computers, involving a small object fitted with one or more buttons and shaped to sit naturally under the hand. The underside of the mouse houses a device that detects the mouse's motion relative to the flat surface on which it sits. The mouse's 2D motion is typically translated into the motion of a cursor on the display. Mouse Created in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop Elements by Jeremy Kemp, 2/10/05 Background info from http://computer. ... Mouse Created in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop Elements by Jeremy Kemp, 2/10/05 Background info from http://computer. ... An Apple pro mouse A pointing device is any hardware component that allows a user to input spatial data to a computer. ... The tower of a personal computer (specifically a Power Mac G5). ... A cursor is a movable marker that indicates a position. ... Nineteen inch (48 cm) CRT computer monitor A computer display, monitor or screen is a computer peripheral device capable of showing still or moving images generated by a computer and processed by a graphics card. ...

It is called a mouse primarily because the cord on early models resembled the rodent's tail, and also because the motion of the pointer on the screen can be mouselike. In popular usage, the plural can be either mice or mouses. See English plural for more information. In the English language, nouns are inflected for grammatical number—that is, singular or plural. ...

History of mouse engineering

The mouse was invented by Douglas Engelbart of Stanford Research Institute in 1963 after extensive usability testing. It was also called the "bug", but eventually "bug" was dropped in favor of "mouse." It was one of several experimental pointing devices developed for Engelbart's oN-Line System (NLS), which was both a hardware and software system. The other devices were designed to exploit other body movements --- for example, head-mounted devices attached to the chin or nose --- but ultimately, the mouse won out because of its simplicity and convenience. The First Computer Mouse http://www. ... The First Computer Mouse http://www. ... The first computer mouse underside view held by inventor Douglas Engelbart found using a google image search. ... Dr. Douglas C. Engelbart (born January 30, 1925 in Oregon) is an American inventor of Norwegian descent. ... Download high resolution version (882x276, 40 KB)mouse patents File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (882x276, 40 KB)mouse patents File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Dr. Douglas C. Engelbart (born January 30, 1925 in Oregon) is an American inventor of Norwegian descent. ... SRI International is one of the worlds largest contract research institutions. ... 1963 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Usability testing is a means for measuring how well people can use something (such as a web page, a computer interface, a document, or a device) for its intended purpose. ... NLS, or the oNLine System, was the revolutionary computer collaboration system designed by Douglas Engelbart and the researchers at the Augmentation Research Center (ARC) at the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) during the 1960s. ...

The first mouse was bulky, and used two gear wheels perpendicular to each other: the rotation of each wheel was translated into motion along one axis in the plane. Engelbart received patent US3541541 on November 17, 1970 for a "X-Y Position Indicator For A Display System". At the time, Engelbart intended that users would continuously hold the mouse in one hand, and type on a five-key chord keyset with the other. A coordinate axis is one of a set of vectors that defines a coordinate system. ... A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a government to an inventor or applicant for a limited amount of time (normally maximum 20 years from the filing date, depending on extension). ... November 17 is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece. ... 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

A later variation on the mouse, invented in the early 1970s by Bill English at Xerox PARC, replaced the external wheels with a single ball which could rotate in any direction. The ball's motion, in turn, was detected using perpendicular wheels housed on the interior of the mouse's body. This variant of the mouse resembled an inverted trackball, and was the predominant form used with personal computers throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The Xerox PARC group also settled on the modern technique of using both hands to type on a full-size QWERTY keyboard and grabbing the mouse as needed. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Bill English is a computer engineer who contributed to the development of the computer mouse. ... Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) was a flagship research division of the Xerox Corporation, based in Palo Alto, California, USA. It was founded in 1970 and spun out as a separate company in 2002. ... Logitech Marble Mouse Trackball A trackball is a pointing device consisting of a ball housed in a socket containing sensors to detect rotation of the ball about two axes - like an upside-down mouse, but with the ball sticking out more. ... Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... Events and trends Technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other technology Reduction in size and cost of mobile phones leads to a massive surge in their popularity Year 2000 problem (commonly known as Y2K) Microsoft Windows operating system becomes virtually ubiquitous on IBM...

Modern computer mice took form at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) under the inspiration of Professor Jean-Daniel Nicoud and the hands of engineer and watchmaker André Guignard. A spin-off of EPFL, Logitech, launched the first popular mice. The Monster Clothespin from Outer Space, and entrance of the EPFL The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne in Switzerland. ... Jean-Daniel Nicoud obtained a degree in physics at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in 1963. ... An engineer may be someone who practices the engineering profession, or the driver of a rail locomotive. ... A watchmaker is one who primarily repairs watches, although historically this person also made watches. ... André Guignard is a Swiss engineer and watchmaker. ... Logitech (NASDAQ: LOGI), founded in Apples, Vaud in 1981 and headquartered also in Fremont, California, is an electronics company that makes computer products including mice, keyboards, speakers, webcams, and other peripherals. ...

Optical mice

In a separate line of evolution, the optical mouse detected movement using an optical sensor on its underside, paired with a light-emitting diode to illuminate the surface. Early optical mice, such as those invented by Steve Kirsch of Mouse Systems Corporation, could only be used on a special metallic surface (mouse pad) imprinted with a grid of fine blue and grey lines. As computing power grew cheaper, it became possible to embed more powerful special-purpose image processing chips in the mouse. This advance enabled the mouse to detect the relative motion of the mouse on a wide variety of surfaces (and in turn translating the movement of the mouse over the surface into the movement of the cursor), eliminating the need for a special mouse pad. This advance paved the way for widespread adoption of optical mice. Optoelectronics is the study and application of electronic devices that interact with light. ... Various light-emitting diodes (5 mm reds, 3 mm greens and yellows) A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits incoherent monochromatic light when electrically biased in the forward direction. ... Steven T. Kirsch invented and owns a patent on the optical mouse. ... Mouse Systems Corporation, formerly Rodent Associates, was founded in 1982 by Steve Kirsch, inventor of the optical mouse. ... Categories: Computer stubs ... Image processing is the application of signal processing techniques to the domain of images — two-dimensional signals such as photographs or video. ... An integrated circuit (IC) is a thin chip consisting of at least two interconnected semiconductor devices, mainly transistors, as well as passive components like resistors. ...

Modern surface-independent optical mice work by using a sensor to take successive pictures of the surface the mouse is operating on. Changes between one frame and the next are processed by the image processing part of the chip and translated into movement on the two axes. For example, the Agilent Technologies ADNS-2610 optical mouse sensor will process 1512 frames per second: each frame is a rectangular array of 18*18 pixels, and each pixel can sense 64 different levels of gray. A sensor is a technological device or biological organ that detects, or senses, a signal or physical condition. ... Image processing is the application of signal processing techniques to the domain of images — two-dimensional signals such as photographs or video. ... An integrated circuit (IC) is a thin chip consisting of at least two interconnected semiconductor devices, mainly transistors, as well as passive components like resistors. ... The word axis has several meanings: In geometry, it may refer to: An axis of rotation A coordinate axis An axis of symmetry In anatomy, the axis is the second cervical vertebra. ... A pixel (a contraction of picture element) is one of the many tiny dots that make up the representation of a picture in a computers memory. ...

Demand for advances in optical mouse technology comes in large part from competitive FPS gamers, who prefer more accurate mice for more accurate aiming. A first-person shooter (FPS) is a computer or video game where the players on-screen view of the game world simulates that of the character, and there is some element of shooting involved. ...

Optical versus mechanical mice

Optical mice supporters claim they work better than mechanical mice, require no maintenance and last longer due to fewer moving parts.

Mechanical mice supporters, on the other hand, claim glossy and transparent surfaces make optical mice fail. Mice with less image processing power also have problems tracking extremely fast movement, though high-end mice track at 40 inches per second and faster. Also, maintenance on a broken mechanical mouse is much simpler, usually just a simple cleaning. Logitech iFeel Optical Mouse shining Photo by Jeremy Kemp, 2/13/05 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Logitech iFeel Optical Mouse shining Photo by Jeremy Kemp, 2/13/05 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Under an optical mouse File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Under an optical mouse File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Perhaps the strongest argument for mechanical mice is their low power usage for use in wireless settings. A wireless mechanical mouse may only draw 5mA or less of electrical current, whereas an optical mouse typically draws 25mA to power an LED or laser diode. Older optical wireless mice can draw even more current. This can result in severely reduced autonomy and frequent battery changes, making them unsuitable for continuous work. In electricity, current is the rate of flow of charges, usually through a metal wire or some other electrical conductor. ... Various light-emitting diodes (5 mm reds, 3 mm greens and yellows) A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits incoherent monochromatic light when electrically biased in the forward direction. ... A laser diode is a laser where the active medium is a semiconductor p-n junction similar to that found in a light-emitting diode. ... Autonomy is the condition of something that does not depend on anything else. ...

Optomechanical mice optically detects movements of the ball, whereas optical mice detects movement of the surface.

Laser mice

In 2004, Logitech, along with Agilent Technologies, introduced the laser mouse with its MX 1000 model. This mouse utilizes a small laser instead of the normal LED found in other optical mice. The new technology can increase the detail of the image taken by the mouse. The companies claim that this leads to a 20x increase in accuracy compared to conventional optical mice. Gamers have complained that the MX 1000 does not immediately respond to movement after it is picked up, moved, and then put down on the mouse pad. 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Laser (US Air Force) A laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) is a device which uses a quantum mechanical effect, stimulated emission, to generate a coherent beam of light from a lasing medium of controlled purity, size, and shape. ...

Buttons

In contrast to the motion sensing mechanism, the mouse's buttons have changed little, varying mostly in shape, number, and placement. Engelbart's very first mouse had a single button; this was soon increased to three. Commercial mice usually had between one and three buttons, although in the late 1990s some mice sprouted five or more. Events and trends Technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other technology Reduction in size and cost of mobile phones leads to a massive surge in their popularity Year 2000 problem (commonly known as Y2K) Microsoft Windows operating system becomes virtually ubiquitous on IBM...

Most popular are mice with two buttons. The most common purpose for the second button is to invoke a contextual menu in the interface, which contains options specifically tailored to the interface element over which the mouse was positioned. This is used by the popular Microsoft Windows operating system in its default configuration, as well as many others. Microsoft Windows is a range of commercial operating environments for personal computers. ...

On systems with three buttons on the mouse, pressing the center button (a "middle click") is often used as a convenience to map the action to a commonly used action, or a macro. In the X Window System, middle clicking pastes the contents of the primary buffer at the cursor's position. Middle-clicks are often used as a spare button in case a function is not easily allocated. Two wireless computer mice, with scroll wheels. ... Two wireless computer mice, with scroll wheels. ... In computing, the X Window System (commonly X11 or X) is a windowing system for bitmap displays. ...

Additional buttons

Mice have sometimes been built with extensive arrays of buttons, ranging from five to more. Depending on the user's preferences, the extra buttons might allow forward and backward web navigation, or scrolling through a browser's history. As with similar features in keyboards, however, these functions may not be supported by all software. The additional buttons are generally more useful in computer games, where quick and easy access to a wide variety of functions (for example, weapon-switching in first-person shooters) can be very beneficial. QWERTY computer keyboard A computer keyboard is a peripheral modelled after the typewriter keyboard. ... A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... A first-person shooter (FPS) is a computer or video game where the players on-screen view of the game world simulates that of the character, and there is some element of shooting involved. ...

Wheels

One major innovation in mouse buttons was the scroll wheel: a small wheel, with its axis oriented parallel to the mousing surface, that could be rotated "up" or "down" to provide immediate one-dimensional input. Usually, this input was translated into "scrolling" up or down within the currently selected window. This is especially helpful in navigating a long document. The scroll wheel can often be pressed straight down, replacing the third (center) button. Doing so often activates autoscrolling in the Windows operating system if an application supports it. Some newer mouse models allow horizontal as well as vertical scrolling. Some designs make use of a "rocker" button instead of a wheel – a pivoting button that can be pressed at the top or bottom simulating up and down respectively. The wheel can also be used with some software applications to zoom in and out, by holding down the Control key (Ctrl) on the keyboard and scrolling either up or down. Applications that implement this functionality include Microsoft Word and Internet Explorer. Wheel Mouse File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Wheel Mouse File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... computer networking A window is a graphic, usually rectangular in shape, containing either some kind of graphical interface, or a textual representation, of the output of and allowing input for one of a number of simultaneously running computer processes. ... In computing, a Control key is a key, which when pressed in conjunction with another key, will perform a special operation. ... Microsoft Word 2003 features a number of improvements over earlier Word packages. ... Internet Explorer, abbreviated IE or MSIE, is a web browser made by Microsoft and currently available as part of Microsoft Windows. ...

Connectivity

Like all input devices, mice need some connection to the host computer in order to transmit their input. Typical mice use a thin electrical cord (e.g. an RS-232, ADB or USB cable) for this purpose. It was most likely the combination of the tail-like cord, size, and shape which led the mouse's inventors to name it as such. Cordless ("tail-less") mice use wireless communication to transmit data via infrared, radio or Bluetooth. RS-232 (also referred to as EIA RS-232C or V.24) is a standard for serial binary data interchange between a DTE (Data terminal equipment) and a DCE (Data communication equipment). ... Apple Desktop Bus (or ADB) is a bit-serial computer bus for connecting low-speed devices to computers. ... Type A USB connector USB 2. ... Image of a small dog taken in mid-infrared (thermal) light (false color) Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than visible light, but shorter than microwave radiation. ... This article is about the Bluetooth wireless specification. ...

Common button uses

There are several methods of input using a mouse aside from the most basic moving of the device to make a cursor move. A mouse click is the action of pressing (i.e. 'clicking') a button on a mouse in order to trigger an action, usually in the context of a graphical user interface (GUI) (pressing an onscreen 'button' by 'clicking' on it) or computer game (to fire a gun in a first-person shooter). The reason for the clicking noise made is due to the specific switch technology used nearly universally in computer mice. This switch is called a micro switch or cherry switch and uses a stiff but flexible metal strip that is bent to actuate the switch. The bending of the metal makes a snapping or clicking noise in the same way as the safety button on the lids of vacuum packaged jars to indicate they have been opened.

Single clicking

This is the most common method of distinguishing mouse based input. On single-button mice this involves using the mouse's one button. On multiple-button mice, it involves any of the buttons and is usually characterized by which button is pushed (e.g. left-clicking, right-clicking). See point-and-click. Point and click describes the simple action of a computer user moving a cursor to a certain location on a screen (point) and then clicking a mouse button, usually the left one (click), or other pointing device. ...

Double clicking

A double-click occurs when the user presses the button twice in quick succession. This usually triggers an action separate from that of a single-click. For example, in the Macintosh Finder, a user may single-click to select a file, and double-click to open that file. Usability studies have found that the double-click can be confusing and hard to use — for example, users with poor motor skills may not perform the second click soon enough after the first, causing the action to be registered as two single clicks rather than a double click. (Ironically, the double-click was introduced because the previous solution — separate mouse buttons for separate actions — was also found to be confusing in user studies.) Most multiple-button mice allow setting one button to emit a double-click on a single press. Modern operating systems allow users to set the maximum interval in which the two clicks need to be made to register as a double click. A Double-click is the act of pressing a computer mouse button twice quickly without moving the mouse. ... The Finder is the default application program run by the Macintosh operating system that is responsible for the overall user-management of files, disks, network volumes and the launching of other applications. ...

Triple-click

A triple click occurs when the user presses the button three times in quick succession. This also triggers an action separate from that of a single-click. It is most commonly seen in word processors to select a whole paragraph and web browsers to select a whole line of text.

Click-and-drag

A user "drags" a mouse by depressing and continuing to hold down a mouse button while moving the mouse across the mousing surface. Because it involves moving the mouse in addition to clicking its buttons, dragging is a form of gesture, as described below. See drag-and-drop. In computing, a mouse gesture is a way of combining computer mouse movements and clicks which the software recognizes as a specific command. ... Drag-and-drop refers to the act of (or support for the act of) clicking on a virtual object and dragging it to, or onto, another virtual object. ...

Mouse gestures

Main article: Mouse gestures In computing, a mouse gesture is a way of combining computer mouse movements and clicks which the software recognizes as a specific command. ...

A mouse gesture is a way of combining mouse movements with clicks, which the software then recognizes as a specific command.

Tactile mice

In 2000, Logitech introduced the tactile mouse, which contained a small actuator that made the mouse vibrate. Such a mouse could be used to augment user interfaces with haptic feedback. Other unusual variants have included mice that are held freely in the hand, rather than on a flat surface, and detect six dimensions of motion (the three spatial dimensions, plus rotation on three axes). So far, these mouse exotica have not achieved widespread popularity. 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Logitech (NASDAQ: LOGI), founded in Apples, Vaud in 1981 and headquartered also in Fremont, California, is an electronics company that makes computer products including mice, keyboards, speakers, webcams, and other peripherals. ... An actuator is the mechanism by which an agent acts upon an environment. ... Haptic means pertaining to the technology of touch. ...

Accessories

Mousepad

Main Article: Mousepad
The most popular mouse accessories available, it is used with most mice. It provides a surface for the mouse to be used on, as many desks are not suitable and hard wood or plastic surface wears mouse feet covers faster. Many feature designs, or may feature the logo of a company. Specialized hard mousepads are made for gamers. Some wireless mice do not require a mouse pad, and even advise to use directly over a wood surface. A mousepad is practically required when using balled mice, becuase the mousepad provides a smooth surface for the ball to glide on. Optical mouse on a mousepad A mousepad (or mouse mat) is a surface for enhancing the movement of a computer mouse. ...

Mouse Feet Covers

Mouse feet covers are made out of teflon and are placed over the mouse feet. This makes the mouse glide with less resistance over the mousing surface.

Cord Managers

Accessories for managing the cord of a mouse come in diffrent forms, but they all help manage the cord on corded mice, so it doesn't get in the way.

Gel Wrist Pad

Mice in the marketplace

In the 1970s, Xerox PARC included mice with its Xerox Star. Later, inspired by the Star, Apple Computer released the Apple Lisa, which also used a mouse. However, neither the Star nor the Lisa were commercially successful. Only with the release of the Apple Macintosh in 1984 did the mouse see widespread use. Events and trends Although in the United States and in many other Western societies the 1970s are often seen as a period of transition between the turbulent 1960s and the more conservative 1980s and 1990s, many of the trends that are associated widely with the Sixties, from the Sexual Revolution... The Xerox Star, officially known as the 8010, was a revolutionary computer workstation released as a commercial product in 1981. ... Apple Computer, Inc. ... Apple Lisa The Apple Lisa was a revolutionary personal computer designed at Apple Computer during the early 1980s. ... Macintosh, also known as Mac, is a family of personal computers manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. ... 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Macintosh design was influential, and its success led many other vendors to begin producing mice or including them with their other computer products. The widespread adoption of graphical user interfaces in the 1980s and 1990s made mice indispensable for computer use. By 2000, Dataquest estimated that $1.5 billion worth of mice were sold worldwide every year. Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... Events and trends Technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other technology Reduction in size and cost of mobile phones leads to a massive surge in their popularity Year 2000 problem (commonly known as Y2K) Microsoft Windows operating system becomes virtually ubiquitous on IBM... 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

A mini computer mouse is a small (typically egg-sized) mouse optimized for portability. This type of mouse typically are optical and use a USB port. They often come with retractable cords. They are popular with laptop computer users. Wireless versions also use a smaller reciver than their bigger counterparts, often without any cord. Note: USB may also mean upper sideband in radio. ...

Alternative mice

Apart from the regular mice that is operated by the hands, other mouse variants exist. These cater to those who have RSI or wrist injury resulting from excessive mouse usage or to people who feel uncomfortable with traditional designs. Some of these include Repetitive strain injury, also called repetitive stress injury or typing injury, is an occupational overuse syndrome affecting the tendons and nerves. ... In human anatomy, the wrist is the flexible and narrower connection between the forearm and the hand. ...

Applications of mice in user interfaces

Usually, the mouse is used to control the motion of a cursor in two dimensions in a graphical user interface. Objects, such as files, programs, or actions, can be selected from a list of names, but, alternatively, are often represented visually by pictures called icons and buttons; the mouse cursor can be used to select or activate items by moving the cursor over the name or picture and pressing one of the mouse buttons. For example, a text file might be represented by a picture of a piece of notebook paper, and clicking on this icon might cause a text editing program to open the file in a new window. (See also point-and-click.) A cursor is a movable marker that indicates a position. ... Point and click describes the simple action of a computer user moving a cursor to a certain location on a screen (point) and then clicking a mouse button, usually the left one (click), or other pointing device. ...

Mice can also be used gesturally — that is, a stylized motion of the mouse cursor itself can be used as a form of input. In a gestural interface, a particular "gesture" (stylized motion) may be mapped to an action: for example, in a drawing program, moving the mouse in a rapid "x" motion over a shape might delete the shape. In computing, a mouse gesture is a way of combining computer mouse movements and clicks which the software recognizes as a specific command. ...

Gestural interfaces are rarer, and often harder to use, than plain pointing and clicking, because they require more fine motor control of the user. However, a few gestural conventions have become widespread, including the drag-and-drop gesture, in which: Drag-and-drop refers to the act of (or support for the act of) clicking on a virtual object and dragging it to, or onto, another virtual object. ...

This motion is commonly used to move the item from one location to another — the item is "dragged" from its old location and "dropped" in its new one. For example, a user might drag and drop a picture of a file from a folder onto a picture of a trash can, indicating that the file should be deleted.

Other uses of the mouse's input are common in special application domains. In interactive three-dimensional graphics, the mouse's motion is often directly translated into changes in the virtual camera's orientation. For example, in the Quake computer game, the mouse is usually used to control the direction in which the player's "head" faces: moving the mouse up will cause the player to look up, revealing the view above the player's head. The rewrite of this article is being devised at Talk:3D computer graphics/Temp. ... For an overview of the Quake game franchise go to Quake series. ...

When mice have more than one button, software may assign different functions to each button. Often, the leftmost button on the mouse will select items, and the rightmost button will bring up a menu of alternative actions applicable to that item. For example, on platforms with more than one button, the Mozilla web browser will follow a link in response to a left button click, will bring up a menu of alternative actions for that link in response to a right button click, and will often open the link in a new tab or window in response to a click with the middle mouse button. Mozilla (a. ... Definition A tab in graphical user interfaces is a typically rectangular small box (usually containing a text label or graphical icon) associated with a view pane. ... computer networking A window is a graphic, usually rectangular in shape, containing either some kind of graphical interface, or a textual representation, of the output of and allowing input for one of a number of simultaneously running computer processes. ...

One, two or three mouse buttons?

The issue of whether a mouse should have exactly one button or more than one has attracted a surprising amount of controversy. From the first Macintosh onward, Apple always shipped computers with a single-button mouse, whereas most other platforms used a multi-button mouse. Apple and its advocates claim that single-button mice are more efficient, and that multi-button mice are confusing for novice users. The Macintosh user interface was designed so that all functions were available with a single button mouse. Apple's Human Interface Guidelines still specify that all functions need be available with a single button mouse. However, X Window System applications, which Mac OS X can also run, were designed with the use of 2 or even 3 button mice in mind, causing even simple operations like "cut and paste" to become awkward. Mac OS X natively supports multi-button mice, so many users do choose to use third-party mice on their Macintoshes. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... In computing, the X Window System (commonly X11 or X) is a windowing system for bitmap displays. ... Mac OS X is the latest version of the Mac OS, the operating system software for Macintosh computers. ... In computing, cut and paste is a user-interface paradigm for a means of moving text (typically plain text) or other data from a source to a destination. ...

Advocates of multiple-button mice point out that the lack of additional mouse buttons often leads to clumsy workarounds in interfaces where more than one action may be useful for a given object. For example, in the Macintosh Finder, the user must single-click to select a file, and double-click in order to open that file.

Anyone who regularly assists non-expert users on Windows systems will quickly learn that a very large number of users have never used any button other than the left-most button; a common result of demonstrating the use of right-clicking to make a menu pop up is the exclamation, "I didn't know you could do that!" This suggests that much of the value from multiple buttons would only be available to the average users if their training dramatically increased its emphasis on the power of the right button. Nor are many left-handed users aware that most platforms allow swapping right and left buttons.

Furthermore, "press-and-hold" techniques are a common workaround on systems with one-button mice. In a press-and-hold, the user presses and holds the single button, and after a certain period, the button press is not perceived as a single click but as a separate action. On Macintosh platforms, Netscape used press-and-hold to substitute for a second mouse button. This has two drawbacks: first, as with double-clicking, a slow user may press-and-hold inadvertently. Second, the user must wait while the software detects that the click is actually a press-and-hold, or their press might be interpreted as a single click. Furthermore, the remedies for these two drawbacks conflict with each other: the longer the lag time, the more the user must wait; and the shorter the lag time, the more likely it is that some user will accidentally press-and-hold when meaning to click. The logo of Netscape Navigator, as well as of Netscape Communications Corporation. ...

Finally, the user may be required to hold down a key on the keyboard while pressing the button (otherwise known as mouse chording). This has the disadvantage that it requires that both the user's hands be engaged. It also requires that the user do two actions on completely separate devices in concert, that is, pressing a key on the keyboard while pressing a button on the mouse. Studies have found all of the above less usable than additional mouse buttons for experienced users. Today, many widely used Macintosh software packages, including web browsers and graphics editing programs, use one or more of the above workarounds. Critics of single-button mice point to these facts as evidence that mice should have more than one button. But mice are not required on Windows based operating systems like they are in Mac ones. On a Windows computer, one can navigate through most of the computer with only a keyboard. However on a Mac, one must use a mouse. QWERTY computer keyboard A computer keyboard is a peripheral modelled after the typewriter keyboard. ... Mouse chording is the capability of performing actions when multiple mouse buttons are held down, much like a chorded keyboard. ... A web browser is a software package that enables a user to display and interact with documents hosted by web servers. ...

Most machines running Unix or a Unix-like operating system run the X Window System which almost always requires a three button mouse. In X, the buttons are numbered by convention. This allows user instructions to apply to mice or pointing devices that do not use conventional button placement. For example a left handed user may reverse the buttons, usually with a software setting. With non-conventional button placement user directions that say "left mouse button" or "right mouse button" are confusing. The ground-breaking Xerox Parc Alto and Dorado computers from the mid-1970s used three-button mice and each button was assigned a color. Red was used for the left (or primary) button, yellow for the middle (secondary) and blue for the right (meta or tertiary). This naming-convention lives on in some SmallTalk environments such as Squeak and can be less confusing than the right, middle and left designations. UNIX is a portable, multi-tasking and multi-user computer operating system originally developed by a group of AT&T Bell Labs employees including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, and Douglas McIlroy. ... A Unix-like operating system is one that behaves in a manner similar to the UNIX system, while not necessarily conforming to or being certified to any version of the Single UNIX Specification. ... In computing, an operating system (OS) is the system software responsible for the direct control and management of hardware and basic system operations. ... In computing, the X Window System (commonly X11 or X) is a windowing system for bitmap displays. ... Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) was a flagship research division of the Xerox Corporation, based in Palo Alto, California, USA. It was founded in 1970 and spun out as a separate company in 2002. ... A Xerox Alto Computer System The Xerox Alto, developed at Xerox PARC in 1973, was the first personal computer and the first computer to use the desktop metaphor and graphical user interface (GUI). ... 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Red is a color at the lowest frequencies of light discernible by the human eye. ... Yellow is the color of light whose wavelength is between 565 nm and 590 nm, or is a mixture of red and green light that appears to be the same color. ... Blue (from Old High German blao shining) is one of the three primary additive colors; blue light has the shortest wavelength range (about 420-490 nm) of the three primary colors. ... Smalltalk is a dynamically typed object oriented programming language designed at Xerox PARC by Alan Kay, Dan Ingalls, Ted Kaehler, Adele Goldberg, and others during the 1970s. ... Squeak is a free open source implementation of the Smalltalk programming language. ...

Newer mice have a scroll wheel between two buttons where pressing the scroll wheel acts as a middle mouse button (button two). In addition, mice with five or even more buttons can be useful in several environments. Microsoft's Intellimouse is the most well known of these mice, but other brands do exist and are often preferred due to the bulk of some Intellimice. The extra buttons are most frequently used in browsing the web or navigating with a file browser. Categories: Computer stubs ... A file manager is a software tool that provides a user interface to work with computer files. ...

Gaming

Mice are often used as an interface for computer games, and sometimes for video games. They are often used in combination with keyboards. This article needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ... Computer and video games A screenshot of Tetris for the Nintendo Game Boy A console game (better known as a video game) is a form of interactive multimedia used for entertainment, which consists of a moveable image displayed on a screen that is usually controlled and manipulated using a handheld... QWERTY computer keyboard A computer keyboard is a peripheral modelled after the typewriter keyboard. ...

FPS

A mouse is a favorite way to play first-person shooter (FPS) games. The X axis of the mouse is used for looking left and right, while the Y axis is used for looking up and down. The left mouse button is usually for primary fire. Many gamers prefer this over a gamepad or joystick because it allows them to move fast and have better accuracy. The right button is used for secondary fire of the selected gun. Scroll wheel is used for changing weapons. On most fps games, these functions may also be assigned to thumb buttons. A keyboard is usually used for movement(for example, w, a, s, and d, or simply known as wasd, for forward, backward, strafe leftward and strafe rightward) and other functions. A player who uses the mouse to aim is called a mouser and a player who only uses the keyboard is called a keyboarder. A first-person shooter (FPS) is a computer or video game where the players on-screen view of the game world simulates that of the character, and there is some element of shooting involved. ... Categories: Computer and video game stubs | Input devices | Computer and video game terminology ... Joystick elements: 1. ...

Invert Mouse Setting (for mousers)

In many games, such as First or Third Person Shooter, there is a setting which allows the user to invert the Y axis behavior of the mouse. The result is that moving the mouse forward results in a downward looking view and moving the mouse backward results in an upward looking view. The existence of this setting in any particular game has usually been ascribed to the fact that a significant enough number of users requested it. Scientific research as to why this setting is required by a significant minority of users is unavailable. One conjecture is that it is directly intuitive to some, much like being lefthanded; You lean back to look up, and you lean forward to look down.

Strategy

Many strategy games are played using a mouse, and usually use a cursor for control.

History of mouse engineering

Optical mice

Optical versus mechanical mice

Laser mice

Buttons

Additional buttons

Wheels

Connectivity

Common button uses

Single clicking

Double clicking

Triple-click

Click-and-drag

Mouse gestures

Tactile mice

Accessories

Mousepad

Mouse Feet Covers

Cord Managers

Gel Wrist Pad

Mice in the marketplace

Alternative mice

Applications of mice in user interfaces

One, two or three mouse buttons?

Gaming

FPS

Invert Mouse Setting (for mousers)

Strategy

See also

External links

References

History of mouse engineering GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Optical mice

Optical versus mechanical mice

Laser mice

Buttons

Additional buttons

Wheels

Connectivity

Common button uses

Single clicking

Double clicking

Triple-click

Click-and-drag

Mouse gestures

Tactile mice

Accessories

Mousepad

Mouse Feet Covers

Cord Managers

Gel Wrist Pad

Mice in the marketplace

Alternative mice

Applications of mice in user interfaces

One, two or three mouse buttons?

Gaming

FPS

Invert Mouse Setting (for mousers)

Strategy

See also

External links

References

History of mouse engineering