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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Locating the pointer when it is on the bottom of the screen
From:       Maurizio Colucci <seguso.forever () tin ! it>
Date:       2004-12-09 17:00:55
Message-ID: 41B884C7.3030105 () tin ! it
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Lubos Lunak wrote:
> On Monday 06 of December 2004 23:36, Maurizio Colucci wrote:
> 
>>Hello,
>>
>>It is common knowledge that buttons anchored to the edges of the screen
>>are easier to click, even if they are small: it is as if the button had
>>an infinite dimension along one axis. For example, if you have a button
>>to the top edge of the screen, you abruptly move the mouse vertically to
>>the top of the screen, to the very last pixel, and then you only need to
>>adjust your pointer horizontally.
>>
>>So it is convenient to put panels along the edges of the screen.
>>
>>The problem is that the bottom edge is not as easy to use as the topmost
>>one because, if I move the mouse to the bottom of the screen, to the
>>very last pixel, I don't see the mouse pointer anymore! It is difficult
>>to understand where I am pointing.
>>
>>Unfortunately, KDE uses only the bottom edge by default (on all distros
>>I have tried).
>>
>>Of course I can move the panel on top, but other people may not be able
>>to do it, and in general it is a pity to waste a useful edge of the screen.
>>
>>I thought maybe the problem could be solved by flipping the mouse
>>pointer vertically when the mouse is on the bottom edge of the screen.
>>How about it?
> 
> 
>  The taskbar could set its cursor to a flipped one, if it'd be on a panel 
> positioned at the bottom edge, but it seems there's no standard (or 
> reasonably widely available) cursor showing arrow pointing down. 

But a flipped cursor can be created via code, can't it?

> Bye bye 
> themeable pointer cursors. (Having something like a recommended set of 
> cursors could be indeed useful.)
> 
>  Moreover, I wonder if there's really such a problem in practice. I have my 
> taskbar at the bottom edge, and I work with it by bumping to the bottom edge. 
> And I've never noticed this problem. I simply position the mouse above the 
> item I want, when I can still see the cursor, and then just move down, and 
> hit.

So the problem is not there because you don't feel it? :)

What you said means you don't move in a straight line. Instead, I prefer 
to move roughly in a straight line to the button. Since I move very 
quickly, most of the time I miss it, and I find myself with the pointer 
invisible and on the wrong button. I would like to finetune only 
horizontally, but I can't.

Maybe if you tried to keep the kicker on top for a few days, then get 
back to the bottom, you would take this habit too.

Cheers
Mau
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