... Basic Computer Skills ...

The Clicking Mouse

The mouse has either two or three buttons; we will deal only with the left and right mouse buttons here ... "Clicking" the mouse implies that you click the left button of your mouse ... "Double Clicking" implies two clicks of the left mouse button in quick succession. "Right Click" implies clicking with the right mouse button.

Clicking an object causes it to be selected or active ... This can apply to any object, such as an icon, a file, a window or any part of a window. When an object is selected or active, it'll stand out from objects which are no longer selected or active by the coloring of parts of the object ... In the standard default mode, active or selected objects are blue and objects which are not active or selected are gray.

When the name or title of an active or selected object is clicked, that name or title goes into text editing mode (highlighted in blue) ... and can be changed according to the user's preference (if it is in editing mode, and you don't want to change it, click empty space).

Double clicking an object opens the object. It causes a program or application to run or open or launch, or a file or folder to open. Launching a program icon means double clicking it. Opening a file icon means double clicking it.

Right clicking an object produces a popup menu for that object, and, the selections presented in the menu depend on the type of object it is. Nearly all objects have a Property Sheet and the selection Properties is included in its popup menu (that will usually be the last item at the bottom of the menu).

Dragging and dropping an object (a very important skill) ... is done by placing the mouse pointer on the object and clicking (left mouse button) ... and while holding that button down, dragging the object somewhere else and letting go the button. Dragging and dropping is very different when using the right mouse button.

Several of the mouse functions can be altered or adjusted to fit individual needs, including the reversing of the functions of the two buttons for left handed people, making the double click faster or slower, or adjusting the speed of the pointer's movememt ... or even putting a long tail on the pointer so it doesn't get away from you. These adjustments (configurations) can be done in the Mouse section (icon) of the Control Panel of My Computer ... remember, it's only a mouse; you be the boss.

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