Point and click

Point-and-click is the action of a computer user moving a cursor to a certain location on a screen (point) and then pressing a mouse button, usually the left one (click), or other pointing device. An example of point-and-click is in hypermedia, where users click on hyperlinks to navigate from document to document.

The time required to perform a point-and-click action can be quantitatively modeled with Fitts' law.

User interfaces, for example graphical user interfaces, are sometimes described as "point-and-click interfaces", often to suggest that they are very easy to use, requiring that the user simply point to indicate their wishes. These interfaces are sometimes referred to condescendingly (e.g. by Unix users) as "click-and-drool interfaces".

The use of this phrase to describe software implies that the interface can be controlled solely through the mouse, with little or no input from the keyboard, as with many graphical user interfaces.

Single-click

A single-click or click is the act of pressing a computer mouse button once without moving the mouse. Single clicking is usually a primary action of the mouse. Often, single-clicking selects (or highlights) an object while double-clicking executes or opens the object.

On icons

By default on most computer systems, for a person to select a certain software function, he or she will have to click on the left button . An example of this can be a person clicking on an icon.

On text

In many text processing programs, such as web browsers or word processors, clicking on text moves the cursor to that location.

Double-click

Main article: Double-click

See also

• 1-Click (one-click buying)
• Drag-and-drop
• Graphical user interface
• Mouse chording
• One click install
• Point-and-click adventure game

External links

• Institute for Interactive Research, website interface without any mechanisms to click on for a different way of navigation
• Online Clicking game - click for your country
• www.wildenburg-spiel.de – Online point and click adventure game