| Most PC mouse devices have at least two buttons: a left button and a right button. These buttons are used for different purposes. The left mouse button is used for most tasks: clicking, dragging, opening menus, selecting commands, selecting text, and so on. The right mouse button is used for less-common tasks. A common use of the right mouse button is to display a shortcut menu. tip  | The following steps assume that you are using the Category View of the Control Panel options. You can also choose Classic View. Use this if you have upgraded and are more comfortable with the Classic View. Otherwise, you may select this option if you are having trouble finding the Control Panel icon you want to use. |
If you are left-handed, you can change your mouse so that the buttons are reversed: Right does the main options, and left displays the shortcut menu. You can also make other changes to the mouse, including adjusting its double-click speed or changing how the cursors appear. Again, these changes are a mix of practical issues (such as the left-handed change) and personal issues (such as the pointer schemes). To customize your mouse, follow these steps: 1. | Click Start and then Control Panel. You'll see the Control Panel options.
| 2. | Click Printers and Other Hardware.
| 3. | In the lower part of the window that lists Control Panel icons (see Figure 13.9), click Mouse. You'll see the Mouse Properties dialog box.
Figure 13.9. Select the Mouse Control Panel icon to make changes to how the mouse works. 
note  | The Control Panel is the main tool for all setup and customization changes. Other options are covered throughout this book. For instance, setting up printers and installing fonts are covered in Chapter 19, "Upgrading Your Computer." User Accounts are covered in Chapter 22, "Setting Up Windows XP for Multiple Users." For less common options, either consult online help or click a link and experiment. |
| 4. | Do any of the following:
To change the button configuration (a common change for left-handed users), go to the Buttons tab and check Switch primary and secondary buttons (see Figure 13.10).
Figure 13.10. You can change the behavior of the mouse buttons and the double-click speed. 
You can also adjust the double-click speed. If you have trouble double-clicking, you might want to increase or decrease the speed to suit how you double-click. You can test the speed by double-clicking the folder in that area of the dialog box.
To change the appearance (shape and size) of the various mouse pointers that appear, click the Pointers tab and then select a scheme from the Scheme drop-down list. The dialog box displays a preview of your selections.
To add visual pointer clues (such as indicating motion, snapping to the default button in a dialog box, or displaying a trail), click the Pointer Options and make your selections.
For hardware changes, click the Hardware tab. You learn more about hardware changes in Chapter 19.
| 5. | Click OK. Your changes are put into effect.
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