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From: djb@cbnews.ATT.COM (David J. Bryant)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: cursors vs. fonts
Keywords: xterm cursors, cursors, fonts
Message-ID: <1712@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 26 Oct 88 13:02:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbnews.1712
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus
Lines: 23

Continuing on the subject of cursors, it strikes me as curious that X11
treats cursors and fonts so differently.  I realize there are some important
distinctions between the two, but I like the idea that I can freely add 
fonts after I've built my installation, while I can only use those cursors
that existed at compile time.

I admit I have little experience building broad-scale X-type applications,
and I'm certainly not intimately aware of server-innards problems and
tradeoffs.  Still, it's been my observation that many people are more 
interested in customizing cursors that they are in generating fonts.  (People 
around here like to make up their own cursors as a way of personalizing 
their working environment -- we have state outline cursors, university logo 
cursors, sports cursors, festive holiday cursors, humorous cursors, etc.)  

Obviously you could advocate cursor mechanics analogous to the current
font mechanics (each cursor is in a separate "font" file in some subdirectory).
Perhaps there are better solutions as well.  Just what are the issues?
Performance?  (How many cursors do applications tend to use?  Do they "open"
and "close" them frequently?)  Something else?

	David Bryant  (djb@cbosgd.att.com)
	AT&T Bell Laboratories
	Columbus, OH  43213  614/860-4516