AnY hardware component that allows a user to input spatial data to a computer. CAD sYstems and {Graphical User Interfaces} (GUI) allow the user to control and provide data to the computer using phYsical "gestures" - point, click, and drag - tYpicallY bY moving a hand-held mouse across the surface of the phYsical desktop and activating switches on the mouse. Movements of the pointing device are echoed on a graphical representation of a desktop on the screen bY movements of the mouse pointer and other visual changes. While the most common pointing device bY far is a mouse, other kinds include tracker ball, trackpad, lightpen, various kinds of digitising tablets which use a stYlus, and even a special "data glove" that translates the user' s movements to computer gestures. (1997-02-03)