The mouse (also known as pointing device) is one of the greatest inventions in computer ergonomics. With the help of a mouse the PC user doesn’t have to use his keyboard for all the clicks made on a small device called mouse or in some areas pointing device.

First of it all I would like to explain why they call it mouse and what it is exactly. The name came from its shape, because it looks like your holding Jerry, right? So while Tom was not around in 1963 with Dr. Douglas C. Engelbart (born January 30, 1925), he had time to invent the first mouse prototype at the Stanford Research Institute. But before the mouse, a secret military project invented the trackball with some help from Tom Craston, Fred Longstaff and Kenyon Taylor in 1952. When Dr. Douglas C. Engelbart invented the first mouse he named it x-y position indicator. “One of the members of the team nicknamed the device a mouse and it caught on,” says Dr. Engelbart at the BBC program Go Digital.

The mouse is a pointing device, which can be connected to the computer in several ways:
- Connected directly to an RS-232C serial port
- PS/2 mice
- USB
-Wireless/Blue tooth



I remember my first computer had a PS/2 mouse with a trackball, and sometimes gave me some nerves when the cursor jumped by it self. But after some years I bought a PS/2 optical mouse which uses a laser to detect the mouse's movement. And I was really satisfied with it. But after some more years I bought a USB optical mouse and I’m still using it proudly.

There are several mice for graphics and gaming. For example a few years ago, when Counter Strike was the trendiest game in the world, everybody bought expensive optical mice, because those are more accurate than the old-fashion trackball mice. Those who use programs like Corel Draw or Photoshop use a very expensive optical or even wireless optical mouse because of the accuracy of its pointer.  So here is the list of basic mouse types:



Mechanical: Has a rubber ball on its underside that can roll in all directions. Mechanical sensors detect the movement of the ball.

Opto mechanical: It is same as the mechanical has a rubber ball, but the movement of the ball is picked up by optical sensors, so it is more accurate than the simple mechanical.

Optical: Uses a laser to detect the mouse's movement so it is the most accurate mouse, but also the most expensive.

Dr. Douglas C. Engelbart was born in the U.S. state of Oregon on January 30, 1925 and he is of German, Swedish and Norwegian descent. Unfortunately Engelbart did not receive any awards for his invention, as his patent ran out before it became used in PCs. If I were in his shoes, I would ask for an award or something. He deserves it doesn’t he?

Here you can find some unusual mouse designs.

The computer mouse is one of the most important accessories of each personal computer, as it makes the process of using the computer much easier. Imagine using the computer without the mouse, having to navigate only with the keyboard. It can be done, as this was the standard some years ago, but the truth is that it is very difficult to do so, not to mention time consuming. The computer mouse has simplified the way in which we use the computer, because instead of having to make various combinations from the keyboard keys, all you have to do is move the cursor on the desired icon and make one or two clicks.

There are various types of computer mouse devices, and in all cases, the only difference between them is the device which makes the cursor move. There are the mechanical mouse devices which have a rubber ball under the mouse and when the ball moves, so does the cursor. Then there are the optical computer mouse devices which instead of the rubber ball they use an LED light. There are also the laser computer mouse devices which are just like the optical ones, the only difference being the fact that they use a laser instead of an LED light for movement.



There are also computer mouse devices which are different than the rest from the point of view of the design. They can be considered as computer mouse alternatives because even if they have the same function as the mouse they do not resemble it at all. One of these computer mouse alternatives is the touchpad mouse. The touchpad mouse resembles the touchpad that you will find on any portable computer, and it is to be used exactly in the same manner. There are people who prefer the touchpad more than the mouse, despite the fact that certain processes are more difficult when using the touchpad, such as playing games, and so on.



The USB Palm switch is another alternative to the computer mouse, and the main characteristic of this mouse is the fact that it allows you to make certain actions on the mouse, such as left or right click, by slightly moving your palm across it. If you move the palm in an area, the result will be a left click, if you move it in another area the result will be a right click, and so on. This mouse also has an adjustable clicking force feature, which can not be found in the case of the other computer mouse devices. There are also computer mouse devices which only have the left click option, and they are intended for the ones who learn to use the computer, as they often right lick by mistake.

Nowadays, we all use computers and we all want to use them more and more properly every day in order to become more and more effective in all that we do and that might involve their use. Working better with computers is not something that can be very easily achieved. There are numerous aspects to be considered in this respect. The most important one refers to the importance of becoming aware of all the important notions related to our computers and to the way in which they function and enable us to become productive in all sorts of activities in which we might employ them.

When discussing about the necessity of achieving a good knowledge in computers it is also important for us to consider that such knowledge must also include all sorts of important aspects related to important computer components without which such devices should not even be able to function. Learning about them means learning about our computers and understanding the way is which we work with and in which we might become able to work better with them. An important hardware component that can also be considered in this way is the mouse which is a very important component as it can enables users to make all sorts of selections and to start all sorts of applications as well. In this respect, it might also be useful for computer users to also be reminded certain aspects related to the idea of having and working with a trackball computer mouse.



A trackball computer mouse is a pointing device which includes a ball which is placed on a special socket in which there can be found the necessary sensors for detecting the rotation of the ball. There are three main companies known to manufacture trackballs and they are the following ones: Kensington, Logitech and A4Tech. Their products are the most familiar one son the market and they have been many times analyzed and compared by users interested in working with this type of devices. Large tracker balls are usually known to be used with all sorts of special workstations.



Trackballs have also been discovered in all sorts of video games as well as in computers. They have also proved to be useful to be used by all sorts of persons that might have mobility impairments and for which they prove to be a very important input device. A trackball computer mouse can also be appreciated in this way for its ergonomics. They can be used on flat surfaces as well as on other types of surfaces. It presents a control button which is said to be very easy to be accessed. There are also other important aspects which could be considered when discussing about these devices as well as about others that are also very important to be considered by users when trying to learn more about their computers and about the way in which they could become better computer users by improving both their knowledge and skills in working with these devices.

Working properly with computers is something that should interest all of us nowadays because these electronic devices are essential in the world of technology in which we live and they can prove to be very helpful for us in many situations if they are well performing ones. There are all sorts of aspects which need to be considered by all of us while trying to learn more about our computers in the idea of becoming able to work with them more properly. There are many hardware components which need to be considered and analyzed as well as numerous software applications and programs which might also be useful for us to consider. If we were to consider the hardware part of the computer for example, there are various components which we can decide to analyze more carefully in the idea of getting a better understanding of their functions and of the way in which they can become more or less helpful to us at any time. All sorts of changes are being made to such components nowadays and this is why there is always something new to be found out and sometimes certain technological news might prove to be very helpful for us to consider.



When discussing about such components and such technological changes that might be made to them in order for new and improved versions of these products to be made available to us, analyzing a wireless ergonomic mouse for example might also be considered as interesting and important to be done. This is mainly because nowadays we all want to be able to use very good quality computer components that might enable us to be more productive and effective in all sorts of activities in which the use of computers is considered necessary. One model of this type of products is Microsoft Natural Wireless Laser Ergonomic Mouse 6000.



Among the main aspects which can be considered related to this model of an wireless ergonomic mouse are the fact that is very comfortable to be held and felt but unfortunately it is also consider to be a little heavy. In order for the mouse not to be required to be moved too much it can be increased the mouse pointer type of speed and in this way its weight might not be as important and disadvantageous as it might seem. Anyway, it also depends on what each computer user considers to be more important when analyzing such hardware components.



Many users who have analyzed this model of a wireless ergonomic mouse have appreciated about it the fact that its keys are very easily used and the scroll wheel presented by it as it is also considered to be one of a good quality. No breaks are being encountered while the scroll button scrolls and this is very important when using a mouse. What might also be interesting to be mentioned related to it is the fact that it presents two extra buttons apart from the normal ones which are said to be appropriate to be used for all sorts of tasks according to users’ choices. These features are important to be considered as a wireless ergonomic mouse is something that many of us need to use nowadays when we work more often with our computers and when we need to use only good quality products in order to obtain good results in activities involving their use.

When talking about their connection to your computer, the computer mice are divided into two categories: wired and wireless. Now we are talking about the wireless computer mouse. These computer mice use the wireless communication technology to transmit the data regarding their position to the computer, as they are not directly attached to it by a cable or a cord, a “wire”.



Wireless computer mice have appeared because people wanted to get rid of all the clutter of cords and wires on and under their computer desk. There are so many peripherals to connect to your computer and they all come with at least a cable, that you sometimes just want to take them all out and throw them away. Thanks to the wireless technology now it is possible to use the wireless devices and solve this problem.

But the wireless technology isn’t very new, as you may think. The first one to use it was Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone who also made the first wireless telephone conversation with a friend in 1880. Then his work was continued by many scientists among them Hertz.

Wireless computer mice use a transmitter and a receiver in order to be able to communicate from the distance (even if in this case the distance is very short – only a few metres). The receiver is attached to the computer, usually in a USB or PS2 port. This receiver … well, receives the signals sent by the computer mouse and transmits them to the main unit of the computer where they are processed. The mouse transmits the data through infrared radiation or radio frequency signals.

The infrared radiation transmitter can be seen as that red dot or ray that you can see coming out of your wireless computer mouse and the exact same red dot can be seen on the receiver. However, if you black the way of this infrared radiation it can’t go from the mouse to the receiver, so make sure you don’t do that if you want your computer mouse to work properly. It’s the same principle like in the case when you can’t use your TV remote control because your kid has stuck his chewing gum on the red light of the receiver or the remote control.

The radio frequency signals use a certain radio frequency to transmit the positioning data and even the latest technology of the Bluetooth communication uses the same method. Usually these RF wireless mice can work at longer distances than the ones using the infrared radiation, as they can transmit their signals through obstacles, too. So they can work to a distance of up to ten metres, so basically you can operate your computer when holding the mouse in another room.

Because of the distance covered and also because of the time spent between sending and receiving the signals, wireless computer mice can be a bit slower to respond to your commands than wired mice do, but this problem is currently in the course of being solved. However, this is exactly the reason why gamers prefer wired computer mice, because they need instant response from their mouse when they are in the middle of the game.

I should also mention the fact that wireless computer mice need some source of energy to transmit these signals. That is why they need batteries –most often two AA batteries, but there are some that can work with only one. So let’s hope that one day all our electronic devices will be wireless and I am sure our houses will look a lot better.