In this part 10 of my Windows 7 tutorial I'll continue my discussion of the most important Desktop Personalization settings.

I’m aware of very few users other than the visually impaired or those whose hand mobility is limited by arthritis or stroke who have explored the many ways their mouse can be configured to make their computing adventures more pleasurable and often more productive.

Right click on your Desktop and click on Personalization and click on ‘Change mouse Pointers’.

There are 5 Tabs:
1. Buttons: You can switch your left and right click buttons, adjust your mouses double click speed, and enable highlight or drag without holding down your mouse button.
2. Pointers: Here you’ll find an extraordinary number of ways to configure your mouse to include Windows Aero, Windows black, Windows Inverted, and Windows Standard Schemes with standard, large and, extra large pointers.

Note: If you decide to experiment with Pointers you can always return to the default setting by clicking on ‘Use Default’.

3. Pointer Options: Motion (Pointer speed), Snap to (Automatically move pointer to the default button in a dialog box), Visibility (Display Pointer trails, Hide Pointer while typing, and Show location of pointer when CTRL key in pressed).
4. Wheel: Vertical Scrolling (Roll the wheel one notch when scrolling the following number of lines as a time or One screen at a time:), Horizontal Scrolling ( Tilt the wheel to scroll the following number of characters at a time:).
5. Hardware: Your installed mouse devices.

The reason I’ve included a detailed list of possible mouse configurations is because most users have no idea of the number of possible helpful configurations that are available. And by providing an in-depth list maybe I can tweak their curiosity.

Note: If adjusting the configuration of you mouse is of interest because you suffer from arthritis or have experienced a stroke, I can almost guarantee that by personalizing your mouse and investing in a Kensington Turbo Mouse Trackball ($100) you’ll significantly improve your ability to compute.

For specific configurations for the physically disabled, right click on your Desktop, click on Personalization and ‘Ease of Access Center’. In addition to formatting a mouse the physically disabled have a significant number of extraordinary additional formatting opportunities to assist them in improving their computer experience.

I might also suggest that some of the ‘Ease of Access Center’ formatting opportunities may be of interest even to those who are not handicapped. Many can be quite useful.

Here’s wishing you a Good Boot.