EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR COMPUTER: PART 3.

Almost every computer comes with some sort of mouse. This plastic rodent looks like a bar of soap with a little It moves around on a ball instead of feet and prefers clicking to squeaking! But with a little bit of practice, this mouse in the, house can help you move around on your computer screen much faster than using the keyboard.

First of all, your mouse needs a home to work properly. This home is called a mouse pad. It's usually made of rubber and has a rough surface; a smooth surface would not: provide enough traction for the ball. It's very difficult to control the mouse on a slippery Surface!

It is also very important that you learn the best way to hold the mouse. If your hand is not in the proper position, you can develop, pain and other problems in your fingers, wrist, and arm. When you hold a real mouse, your hand is cupped with the palm up. The best way to hold a computer mouse is to cup your hand and hold it palm-side down. Then place your thumb, your little finger, and your ring finger along the outside of the mouse; put your index and middle fingers on top of the mouse. The wrist should be straight and the fingers relaxed. Now you're ready to go to work!

The mouse's "tail" is really a cord that runs from the mouse to your computer. When you move the mouse, it sends a signal through the cord to the computer telling the computer which way the mouse is moving. That's how the mouse controls the little arrow, called a pointer, you see on the computer screen. Moving the mouse to the left moves the pointer to the left. The mouse controls both the direction and speed of the pointer. Try moving the mouse in circles on the pad and watch to see how the pointer follows this same pattern. With a little practice, you should be able to put the pointer lust where you want it.

Once you've mastered the mouse movements, you can try using the two push-button switches on the top of the mouse called mouse buttons. If you press on these buttons, you will hear a "click." So when computer instructions tell you to "click" once or twice, it means they want you to press and release the mouse button once or twice, very quickly. About 90% of the time you will use the left button. So unless the instructions say to use the right button, you should always use the left button.

Clicking makes things happen. On most computers, clicking once with the left button will help you select an item or a command on the screen. Clicking twice will open a document or start a program. When the right button is clicked, a list of commands appear on the screen. There are also times when you will want to move an item on your screen to a different place. To do this, place your pointer over the item you want to move, press and hold the left mouse button, and (while continuing to hold down the button) move the item to where you want to place it. Then, just release the button! This is called "drag and drop."

Learning to use a mouse is a great way to practice your hand-eye coordination. And it's a lot easier than memorizing and typing keyboard commands.

Today, you can find a cordless mouse that runs on batteries. It moves just like a regular mouse but sends signals by remote control. Trackballs are also available. A trackball is an upside-down mouse that remains stationary on your desk while you roll the ball with your fingers or palm to move the pointer. It's preferred by people who don't have a lot of space on their desk for a regular mouse.

Sometimes the ball on your mouse will start to stick. Dust and dirt caught in the mouse will make it misbehave. That means it's time to groom your mouse! Roll the mouse over and remove the round plate holding the ball in place. The plate can be removed by pushing it down and twisting it in the direction of the arrow that says "open." The plate should slip off and the ball will fall out. Carefully wipe off the hole in the mouse and the ball. Put the ball back in the mouse and replace the plate. Then clean off your mouse pad too!

Next issue: Floppy disks!