A computer system consists of hardware and software. Hardware is the equipment, which makes up the computer system. Hardware consists of:
- Input devices such as keyboard, mouse, joystick
- Output devices such as a printer, monitor, graph plotter
- Backing storage devices such as disc drive, hard drive
- Media such as discs, tapes, paper etc
A tracker ball mouse is an input device and similar to a mouse but the ball is set into a cup on the top of the unit. A finger or, on larger tracker balls the palm of the hand, is used to roll the ball in any direction. The ball controls the movement of the pointer on the screen. Buttons on the tracker ball work in the same way as mouse butons to activate processes on the screen. My alternative of using a mouse with a tracker ball would be a mouse without a tracker ball.
· A tracker ball does not require a large flat surface.
· Most people find them a bit fiddly
ALTERNATIVE: Mouse without a tracker ball
The pointer on the monitor screen mirrors the movement of the mouse by the user's hand. Under the mouse is a ball, which rolls as the mouse is moved. This movement of he ball causes two shafts to rotate inside the mouse; one shaft records the movement in the north-south direction and the other shaft records the east-west movement. When the screen pointer is over a0n icon or menu selection, the mouse button can be clicked, double clicked or dragged to activate a process. Some mice have a small wheel as well as the buttons. The function of the wheel depends on the software being used on the computer; in a document, it can allow the user to scroll up and down; in a desktop publishing package, it might enable the user to zoom in and out of the page. Over a period of time, the performance of the mouse can deteriorate as the ball and shafts collect dust and dirt. Some modern mice use a light beam and detector to register movements instead off the mouse ball. Many mice ...