X always must have a cursor

[Peter Hutterer]

On Tue, Jul 14, 2009 at 04:56:49PM -0400, Kiryl Hakhovich wrote:
> ok so i have to raise this question: WHY ? :)
> 
> i am running a project of touch screens, and really hate to use 
> windows... so linux xorg it is, but
> the bottom line is, after reading for 2 days straight, there are ways to 
> make cursor invisible, or move it out of the sight, or use clutter and 
> so on, but all these options are lack of one thing - it is invisible - 
> but it is usable, meaning on touch screen one can drag finger across the 
> screen and highlight a lot of things on it, which is not user friendly.
> 
> so seriously, why is it that xorg *must* have it ? just need to 
> understand the concept here.... is it just because ? or is it nobody 
> ever need it? or does this mean entire xorg idea need to be re written 
> to meet this ?

(I assume that you're not referring to the visible shape but to the concept
of having a cursor/sprite/pointer)

The pointer is your virtual input point on the GUI. Without it, you cannot
know where the next click from your mouse/touchpad/etc. is going to. For
direct-touch interfaces you obviously don't need the visible shape since
your finger provides the location information, but you still need the cursor
concept to tell the applications where you touched.

In the example you mentioned above - if the user drags a finger across the
screen, what else do you suggest should happen?

Cheers,
  Peter