Computer Science JSS 1 Week 6
Topic: Screen Pointing Devices
A pointing device can be define as any hardware component that allows the user to input spatial data into the computer using physical gesture such as point click and drag.
Types Of Pointing Devices
There are several pointing devices which are
- Mouse: Mouse is an input device that is used for controlling the cursor on the computer monitor in order to point and select object or give command on the computer screen. It is usually placed on a mouse pad.
Two Types of Mouse
The most popular types of mouse are as follows:
(i) Mechanical Mouse: It has a small ball at the bottom. The ball rotates as the mouse is rolled over a flat surface. Usually, a rectangular rubber pad (known as mouse pad) is used as flat surface. As the mouse is rolled over the flat surface, the pointer moves in the same direction on the screen.
(ii) Optical Mouse: It has no ball at the bottom. It uses the laser technology to detect the mouse movement. Nowadays, it is commonly used in personal computers (PCs).
Functions of the Mouse
- Clicking
- Pointing
- Double clicking
- Right clicking.
2. Touch Pad
Touch Pad is a pressure-sensitive pointing device. Touch pad is also known as track pad. It is also stationary device like trackball but it has no moving arts. It is a small, flat surface (or sensitive pad) over which a user slides fingertip to move the pointer on the screen.
Touch Pad also has one or two buttons. These buttons are located near the pad. These buttons work like mouse buttons. Touch Pad is normally used with laptops. Nowadays, it is also available as separate inpute device. It is fixed on separate keyboard.
3.Trackball
A trackball is a pointing input device. It performs functions like a mouse but it is a stationary device. It has move-able ball on its top. The ball is rotated or rolled with fingers (or palm of the hand) to move the pointer on the screen. Like mouse, a trackball also has buttons used to send the commands to computer.
The trackball is usually available laptop compute. It is fixed on its keyboard. It is also available as separate input device.
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