Editing Computer mouse (section)

{{short description|Pointing device used to control a computer}}
{{About|the item of computer hardware|the pointer or cursor it controls|Cursor (user interface)#Pointer}}
{{protection padlock|small=yes}}
{{pp-move|small=yes}}
{{original research|date=December 2024}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2021|cs1-dates=y}}
[[File:3-Tasten-Maus Microsoft.jpg|thumb|A computer mouse with the most common features: two buttons (left and right) and a scroll wheel (which can also function as a button when pressed inwards)]]
[[File:A computer mouse, black and white, retouched, keyboard visible in background.jpg|thumb|A typical wireless computer mouse]]

A '''computer mouse''' (plural '''mice'''; rarely also '''mouses''')<ref group="nb" name="NB_Plural" /> is a hand-held [[pointing device]] that detects [[Plane (mathematics)|two-dimensional]] motion relative to a surface. This motion is typically translated into the motion of the [[Cursor (user interface)#Pointer|pointer]] (called a cursor) on a [[computer monitor|display]], which allows a smooth control of the [[graphical user interface]] of a [[computer]].

The first public demonstration of a mouse controlling a computer system was done by [[Doug Engelbart]] in 1968 as part of the [[Mother of All Demos]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://history-computer.com/computer-mouse-complete-history/ | title=Computer Mouse: Complete History | date=4 January 2021 }}</ref> Mice originally used two separate wheels to directly track movement across a surface: one in the x-dimension and one in the Y. Later, the standard design shifted to use a ball rolling on a surface to detect motion, in turn connected to internal rollers. Most modern mice use [[optical mouse|optical movement detection]] with no moving parts. Though originally all mice were connected to a computer by a cable, many modern mice are cordless, relying on short-range radio communication with the connected system.

In addition to moving a [[cursor (user interface)|cursor]], computer mice have one or more [[mouse button|buttons]] to allow operations such as the selection of a menu item on a display. Mice often also feature other elements, such as touch surfaces and [[scroll wheel]]s, which enable additional control and dimensional input.