Microsoft probably has some really unrememberable name for it, I call it
"that thick black line around the cell(s) you have selected". Could be
something like "selecte range indicator"? Maybe someone else will actually
come up with the technical term?

Meanwhile, in Excel 2003 you can change the color so that you have to call
it something like "that thick colored line around the cell(s) you have
selected" by using Tools | Options and going to the [View] tab and choosing a
different color for the gridlines. The line will become the negative color
of the grid lines - change them to yellow, the selection indicator will be
blue.

In Excel 2007 I think the only option you have is to change the color scheme
(there are 3 to pick from) to get something different looking.

"JLR" wrote:

when you click on a cell it puts a thick black line around the
cell.......what is that called and can the color be changed?