Computer mouse
A mouse is a handheld pointing device used to position a cursor on a computer screen. This allows the user to select items stored on a computer and, subsequently, perform actions on those items.
Function
A mechanical mouse consists of two rollers in contact with a ball located inside an object the user can slide over a flat surface. The rollers are at 90 degrees to each other and connected to slotted wheels. As the mouse slides, the ball rotates the rollers, causing the slots in their attached wheels to interrupt infrared light sources, thus giving the computer a way to interpret the motion and move the cursor accordingly.
Uses
The ability of a user to navigate to locations on-screen is integral to computing. Moving the mouse, you can press its button to "click" on files, folders, drives or other storage devices. Once selected, these items can be moved, opened, deleted or copied. The mouse can also be used to select and manipulate information within a given file.
History
According to Macworld, Douglas Engelbart invented the first computer mouse prototypes in 1963 while working at the Stanford Research Institute. Engelbart first introduced the mouse to others in the computing industry in 1968 at the Fall Joint Computer Conference in San Francisco.
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