CONTROLLING KEYBOARD AND MOUSE PERFORMANCE

In addition to controlling how the Windows desktop appears, you can control how your keyboard and mouse interact with it.

Adjusting Keyboard Settings

Keyboards are simple to configure -- most users rarely change the default settings. However, there are a few settings you can customize for a better computing experience.

To set keyboard settings:

  1. In the Control Panel, click Hardware and Sound.
  2. Click Keyboard. The Keyboard Properties dialog box opens, as shown in Figure 3-9.
Figure 3-9: Keyboard Properties dialog box.
Figure 3-9: Keyboard Properties dialog box.

There are three keyboard settings you can adjust by dragging the sliders:

Repeat delay: When you hold down a key, after a certain amount of time the character repeats onscreen as if you had repeatedly pressed and released the key. The amount of time it waits before this occurs is controlled by the Repeat Delay slider.
Repeat rate: When a key repeats, the rate at which it automatically repeats onscreen is controlled by the Repeat Rate slider.
Cursor blink rate: The speed at which the insertion point in a dialog box or a text-based application flashes is controlled by the Cursor Blink Rate slider.
  1. Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box.

Adjusting Mouse Settings

There are three types of settings you can adjust for a mouse: button behavior, pointer behavior, and pointer appearance. Depending on the mouse model you have, it may have additional settings as well; the exact settings and the appearance of the Mouse Properties dialog box depends on the mouse driver installed.

If you use a generic mouse, the default mouse properties shown in this lesson appear.

To set mouse settings:

  1. In the Control Panel, click Hardware and Sound.
  2. Click Mouse. The Mouse Properties dialog box opens, as shown in Figure 3-10, with the Buttons tab displayed.
Figure 3-10: Mouse Properties dialog box, Buttons tab.
Figure 3-10: Mouse Properties dialog box, Buttons tab.
  1. On the Buttons tab, adjust the Double-click speed slider, if necessary. This controls how quickly you have to click twice in a row for it to be considered a double-click rather than two independent single clicks.

The checkboxes on the Buttons tab are not commonly used. The Switch primary and secondary buttons option switches the functions of the right and left buttons. This is useful for a left-handed user who prefers to click with the index finger of the left hand. Checking the Turn on ClickLock option turns on an accessibility feature.

  1. Click the Pointers tab.
  2. Select a pointer scheme from the Scheme drop-down list, and then click OK.

You can also customize individual pointers in the scheme by double-clicking them in the list.

  1. Click the Pointer Options tab.
  2. Drag the Select a pointer speed slider, shown in Figure 3-11, to adjust the pointer sensitivity, if necessary.
Figure 3-11: Mouse Properties dialog box, Pointer Options tab.
Figure 3-11: Mouse Properties dialog box, Pointer Options tab.
  1. Check or clear any of the other checkboxes on the Pointer Options tab, if necessary.
  2. Click OK.
  3. Click OK to close the Mouse Properties dialog box.

In the next section, you'll take a closer look at the Windows Sidebar.