It’s a pointing device. The mouse is rolled over the mousepad, which in turn controls the movement of the cursor on the screen. We can click, double click or drag the mouse. Most of the mouse’s have a ball beneath them, which rotates when the mouse is moved. The ball has 2 wheels of the sides, which in turn mousse with the movement of the ball. The sensor notifies the speed of its movements to the computer, which in turn moves the cursor/pointer on the screen.

The basic mouse usage in Windows can be listed as below:

•  Moving the cursor

•  Selecting

•  Right clicking

•  Double Clicking

•  Drag and Drop

Cursor is a small picture/image, which moves on the screen as you move the mouse. The cursor will take the different shapes according to the activity. Usually the cursor shape is an arrow(    )

A mouse is a small input device used to move the cursor on a computer screen to give instructions to the computer and to run programs and applications. It can be used to select menu commands, move icons, size window, start program, close windows etc.

 Moving the cursor

         This is the most common action performed using the mouse. When you move the mouse on a piece of rubber pad called mouse pad. The cursor on your screen moves accordingly i.e. as you move upward the cursor moves upward and as you move downwards the cursor moves downwards.

Selecting

         This is the next most common action performed. Moves the cursor so it is positioned on top of the object (Icon, menu button etc.)  and then click the left mouse button once. When an item is selected by clicking on it. You can then perform actions with that item. Any command, which affects an object's will, affects that object.

         For example:-If you clicked upon an object and then pressed Del. That object that you selected will be deleted.

Right clicking

When you click the right mouse button. It displays a pop-up menu. To right click on an object, you position the cursor over the object and press the right mouse button, once. This not only selects the object, but also displays a pop-up menu.

The pop-up menu is context-sensitive, which means it changes depending upon what you have selected when you press the right mouse button. The menu, which is shown below, is displayed when you right click on an empty desktop area. 

Double click

One of the most common actions in the window environment from its evolution is double clicking. To double click, you position your cursor over an object and press the left mouse button twice in rapid succession, so that the computer considers it as a double click, rather than two single clicks.

Drag and drop

Dragging is another most important mouse action in windows. Dragging consists of moving an object from one location to another. To drag an object you position the cursor over the object, press the mouse button and leave it down as you move the cursor (dragging), once the object is located where you want to put you simply release the mouse button (leave) and the object is moved to the new location.