In some computer systems, the keyboard is the primary input device.
People type in commands and the computer responds with typed responses or prompts.
In the Macintosh interface, the pointing device is central to the user's input. A pointing device makes possible the direct manipulation that is an important aspect of the interface. The user communicates with the computer by manipulating graphic objects on the screen. The user accomplishes this interaction with the pointing device. In the Macintosh interface the standard pointing device is the mouse.