Choosing a Mouse or Other Pointing Device

Most of the same advice about choosing a keyboard for your computer also applies to choosing a mouse. You can settle for the simple inexpensive version that came with your computer, or you can replace it with your choice of additional features. Computer mice come in dozens of different sizes, shapes, and configurations. You can choose one that feels good in your hand, one with buttons, wheels, or other types of switches, and one with or without a cable.

If you don't want to drag a mouse around the table next to your keyboard, you can replace it with a big ball that you can move with your fingers (called a trackball), or a touchpad that moves the on-screen cursor as you slide your fingers. You can even use a set of foot pedals to do the work of the mouse buttons.

Tip 

The generic mouse supplied with a new computer probably adds less than $10 to its total cost, so you might just as well let the dealer or mail-order supplier include it in the package unless they offer the particular model you really want as an option. It never hurts to have an extra mouse in your box of spare parts.