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Place the mouse beside the keyboard on a flat surface or mouse pad. (A mouse pad
is a flat, smooth, foam-rubber pad available at most computer stores.) The mouse
has a ball on the bottom, so working on a flat, smooth surface is important. You
can use your right or left hand to control the mouse.
Notice that the mouse has two buttons on the top (some mice have more buttons).
Rest your hand comfortably on the mouse with your index finger on the left button
(if you are using your right hand). Some programs and operating systems provide
an option to set up the mouse for left-hand use. When a mouse is set up for
left-hand use, the button functions are reversed.
Use the left button to select and open objects with the mouse. Some programs also
use the right button. The use of the right mouse button varies.
To use the mouse, slide it from side to side and forward and backward on a flat
surface. The pointer on the monitor screen moves as you move the mouse. When
you see an item that you want to select on the screen, you simply move the pointer
to that item (this is called pointing). Then you press and release the left button on
the mouse (this is called clicking).
To learn how to use the mouse with the software in your computer, see the
documentation accompanying the software.
Some programs support only one mouse button, others support two, and some
support three. Despite the differences, some terms are fairly standard throughout
the industry.
Point Move the mouse so the pointer is on the object you want.
Click Press and release the mouse button once.
Double-click Rapidly press and release the mouse button twice.
Drag Point to an object, press the mouse button, and hold it down as you
move the mouse to relocate the object.
Drop After dragging an object to a new location, release the mouse button.
Shutting Down
When you are ready to turn off your computer, follow the shutdown procedure for
your operating system to prevent the loss of unsaved data or damage to your
software programs. See your operating system documentation for instructions.
Chapter 3. Operating Your Personal Computer 21