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What is a Computer Mouse?

The mouse is a computer device that controls the position of the mouse cursor on the screen. You operate the mouse placing your hand over it and dragging it across a surface, such as the computer desk or a mousepad. The moues is usually next to the computer keyboard, at its right because when it's operated with the right hand. Most PCs have a mouse and a keyboard. Mouses usually have two buttons, called left button and right button, and a "scroll wheel" at the middle that can be spun and when pressed works as a "middle button."

Photo of a black computer mouse with a blue scroll wheel (and a cat beside it).
A computer mouse. Credit: Zan Ready via Flickr. Cat: Dexter. License: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Written by Noel Santos.

About the Author

I'm a self-taught Brazilian programmer graduated in IT from a FATEC. In a world of increasingly complex and essential computers, I decided to use my technical expertise in hardware, desktop applications, and web technologies to create an informative resource to make PC's easier to understand.

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