Most of your interaction with your computer will be via the mouse, keyboard and screen. If you’re a poor typist, do yourself a very big favour and get a typing tutor program for your computer. You can buy such programs in computer stores or you can download an excellent one from the Internet by visiting Typingmaster.

The mouse is used to move a pointer, or cursor, on the screen. To learn mousing technique, try playing some of the simple games supplied with Windows. Go to the Start Menu and select Programs, then Accessories, then Games in Windows 95 and Windows 98; in Windows Me, it’s Start Menu, Programs, Games.

Basic pointers

Orientation. Keep the mouse facing directly forward, with its cord at the top. Keeping that orientation, move the mouse north/south, east/west, or diagonally across the mouse pad. Don’t try to skew the mouse around.

Typical mouse orientation for a right-hander. To get a better grip, you should bend your thumb at the first joint so it rests firmly against the side of the mouse.

Hand position. Place the back of the mouse so it sits near the heel of your palm, with your thumb resting gently down one side and your index and little fingers down the other. Your index finger should be positioned on the left mouse button and your middle finger on the right button.

For lefties, the index finger is on the right mouse button, the middle finger on the left, so you use the middle finger to click; the index finger to right-click (see the descriptions of click and right-click below). 

Geekgirl.technote
Many left handers prefer to switch the button functions so they use the index finger to click and the middle finger to right-click, just as right-handed users do. If you think you’d find this more comfortable, to make the switch:
  1. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the Mouse applet.
  3. In the Mouse properties dialog, locate the settings which let you adjust the mouse button assignments (the actual settings depend on the type of mouse you are using). Switch the button functions so the left button is right-click and the right button is click. (In some mouse settings, there’s simply an option to "switch the functions".)

If there’s a middle button or wheel on the mouse, use your index finger (for right and left handers) to manipulate it. It’s important that you keep the mouse stationary when you double-click.

Typical mouse orientation for a left hander. To get a better grip, you should bend your thumb at the first joint so it rests firmly against the side of the mouse.

Mouse terminology

(Note: If you’ve switched mouse button assignments as described above, you’ll need to adjust these instructions to allow for the reversed button positions. For example, to click you’ll use the right mouse button instead of the left.)

click: Press and release the left mouse button once. Note that unless you are specifically instructed to use the right mouse button (as in right-click or right-drag-and-drop) you always use the left button. Clicking is useful for highlighting (selecting) an object on the desktop or in a window, activating buttons in dialog boxes, selecting items from menus and a variety of other tasks.

right-click: Press and release the right mouse button once. Right-clicking often gives you access to special advanced shortcut menus relevant to the current activity. For instance, if you right-click this Web page you’re reading, you’ll see a menu of options that let you add the page to your browser Favorites, print the page, and so on.

double-click: Press and release the left mouse button twice in rapid succession. Make sure you don’t move the mouse at all between clicks. Double-clicking an object lets you open it.

drag-and-drop: Depress the left mouse button and, while keeping it depressed, move the mouse pointer to another location, then release the mouse button. Drag-and-drop is used to move items about on the Desktop or within programs, for copying or moving files, and for placing one object onto another. For instance, you can drag-and-drop a file onto the Recycle Bin to delete the file. You can tell when you have the dragged object correctly positioned over the target because the target should become highlighted. Once the target is highlighted you should then release the mouse button to drop the object you’re dragging.

right drag-and-drop: Same as drag-and-drop, but using the right mouse button. Right dragging-and-dropping an object pops up a menu of options that let you choose what to do with the object when it reaches its destination. Your choices are usually Copy the object to the destination, Move the object to the destination, and Create A Shortcut to the dragged object at the destination.

select: Click an object once to select it.

open: Double-click an object to open it.

 

© 2001,  Rose Vines

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