2.5 cursor change

[Ken Norris (dialup)]

Hi Trevor,

> Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2004 11:46:11 -0700
> From: Trevor DeVore <lists at mangomultimedia.com>
> Subject: Re: 2.5 cursor change

> It seems to me that the arrow
> cursor is the accepted method of interacting with apps unless over a
> link.  Was the hand something that was used more in OS 9?

Well, yes, but since the first Mac OS 20 years ago, before Windows on a PC
existed. The general idea came about the same time as the use of "icon"
clickable elements on video monitors, much of which was developed further by
Jef Raskin and Bill Atkinson (MacDraw and HyperCard) way back then.

The 'mouse' idea was 'stolen' from Xerox, though.

Hmmm. But now that you mention it, I hadn't noticed anything different in
OSX. During runtime, the Arrow cursor has always been used for the Desktop,
the window Titlebars, window borders, window buttons (Close,
Minimize/Expand, Windowshade, Resizer), OS-generated scrollbars and up/down
arrows, the menuBar, and popUp menus.

But other clickable application content, all other created buttons and
graphics, and other stuff inside a window, hyperlinks, etc., use the hand.

Maybe they gave it up for OSX and I just didn't notice. If they did, then
the other point has been made, but what I'm still concerned with is points
of reference between what is IDE and what is created clickable content, by
the way of which Jeanne, in her inimitable and prolific style, put it.

It's in the HIG's, but I haven't read much of the new stuff for OSX yet.
Still trying to figure out how the darned thing handles filenames and
transfers. It keeps making lots of useless weird folders and documents show
up on my flash cards, about 6 levels deep, and I don't have a clue what they
are.

:-)

Ken N.