Controlling your computer
Computer
basics (interactive exercises)
GUI basics
Windows 95 basics
Mouse problems
Mouse adjustments
Monitor adjustments
Browser adjustments
Using the Internet
Sites for seniors
Finding
things 1
Finding
things 2
Finding
things 3
Internet costs
Assorted questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How to contact me
Mouse devices are a breakthrough in some ways for computer use. Before them, users had to memorize dozens of key combinations to make programs work. Modern GUI interfaces allow users to point and click to activate program functions.
However mouse devices are not completely intuitive. Many users have problems
holding mice,
double-clicking and
pointing them
Changing cursor size is covered in mouse adjustments
Holding mice
The left and right mouse buttons are for your first and second fingers. New users often put their first finger on the right mouse button, or it drifts there while using the computer.
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Wrong way; index finger |
Right way, first two fingers |
Double-clicking
Senior users often have two concerns about this: when to double click, and how to double click.
When do you single click, and when do you double-click?
You double-click to start programs and single-click everything else.
How do you know what is a program and what isn't?
It's a bit tricky - icons in windows represent programs, but that may not tell you much.As a general rule, single click. If nothing happens, double-click.
Neat trick: If double-clicking is hard, single-click (to set focus), then press the Enter key.
Pointing
New users often have trouble getting the right part of the mouse pointer
onto links and other clickable items.
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no link selected |
link 3 selected |
link 2 selected |
As the examples above show, it's the position of the finger - not the fist - that determines what you are clicking on.