The computer mouse is a small pice of hardware that you use in order to give commands to your computer, to pick up or select a certain thing or task on the computer screen, to drag and drop files or photos around the desktop or in certain document files and so on. We are so used to computer mice these days that we couldn't use a computer without a computer mouse. Still, the computer appeared long before the mouse did. And it was operated only by menas of keyboard. However, this thing can be very difficult to perform, as there are a lot of operations and there are not enough shortcuts on the keyboard to perform them all. But if you have only the mouse, things might not be that complicated.

Let me give you an example: I spilled a cup of coffee on my keyboard by mistake and I had to use only the mouse until my husband fixed the problem (I know, women are trouble and men have to fix things behind them). Well, I may say I did quite a fine job. I accessed all the internet webpages I wanted , as I had them in my favorites and also in address history, I read my emails, as I accessed my email addredd directly from Yahoo messenger that also log in automatically when I open my computer, and the internet connection is also automatic. Even if I had to type my password to open certain accounts, I managed to do that, too, by using copy and paste and choosing the letters of the password from a text.



I can tell you that when you have no choice, but you still want to use the computer badly, you find the best ideas possible to make it work. I must say that I stayed without my keyboard for two days (I think my husband wanted to get back with me as I use the computer too much) and it did not bother me as much as I thought. On the other hand, if I was forced to use my computer using just the keyboard and not the mouse, I don't know if I could do it. I think I would give up after 5 minutes of hysteria and nerves. So, in my opinion, the computer mouse is the most useful peripheral.

So let's answer the question: "What is the mouse for the computer?". It is a peripheral device, together with the keyboard, headsets, microphone and the speakers. All computer peripherals plug in a USB port, a serial port or PS2 port situated either at the back or at the front of the computer. Some of the peripherals may need a special software installed on your computer if you want them to work properly (for example wireless mice). Basically the computer mouse is a device that controls the movement of the cursor on the computer screen, allowing you to choose from different commands that the computer will do. The mouse is very important for graphical interfaces as it helps you point the options and then click to choose the right option or in graphics where you can use your computer mouse like a pen or pencil and draw with it.

The name of this little device comes from its shape that looks like the animal whose name it is carrying. It is oval and with a little cord coming out at one end, exactly like the tail of a mouse.



The computer mouse has undergone a lot of changes and improvements sicne it was invented by Douglas Englebart in 1964. The first mouse was made of wood and looked like a little box. It was a mechanical mouse as the motion of the mouse was detected by mechanical sensors. Then the mechanical mouse was improved and transformed into an opto-mechanical mouse, still using the roler ball, but the motion of the ball was now detected by optical sensors. This was a kind of hybrid between the mechanical and the optical computer mouse. Then , of course, there was the optical mouse that gave up the roller ball and now used infra red technology instead. It  was more accurate and sensitive, and also started having more and more buttons with different functions, going up to 18 buttons, a gaming mouse released recently. Since the release of optical mice, the producers also introduced wireless mice that do not need a cord and are functioning with radio frequency waves. Finally, there is the laser mouse, the most advanced of them, who can work properly on any kind of surface and that is very accurate and precise. Unlike its relative, the optical mouse, the laser mouse can work on transparent and shiny or polished surfaces, without the possibility of losing signal because the ray of infra red light was distorted or reflected. New models and designs appeared and people became concerned about ergonomics and comfort when using a computer mouse, so ergonomic mice appeared.



In conclusion that is what the mouse is for the computer: a means of making it work. The computer has all the necessary information and software, but it cannot be operated unless you use a keyboard or a mouse. You use these computer peripherals to make a command and after the computer gets it, reacts and does what you requested. It is the tool that allows people communicate with the computer. In my mind I always associated this relationship between the human and his computer with the relationship between a lord and his servant. The master tells the servant what to do and it does exactly as requested. But if the lord does not have a mouth to use and speak and tell his request, the servant does not do anything, even if he actually has the ability and willingness. He just acts only when he is told. You realized the human being the lord, the computer as the servant and the mouse as "the mouth" of the lord. Actually it is kind of funny that both words have a similar pronunciation.