# No lefty cursors!



## verbalista (Oct 16, 2001)

I'm left-handed. I like my cursors to come from the left, as my writing and pointing do in the "real" world (not gratuitous quotataion marks, the world in my computer is super real to me)l

When I had a PC, all manner of lefty cursors were available and easy to install. However, I can't find one single simple classic set for Mac OSX Lion (or for my older iMac running 10.5.8, either).

For any right-handed people who automatically say, "get used to it", I say, would you like to get used to all your cursor pointing from the other direction?

I tried making a lefty pointer (basic), but the hot spot wasn't perfect and I eventually switched back. Does anyone know where I can find an actual lefty cursor or cursor set?
And, BTW, what does Apple have against left-handers? Many creatives are left-handed and use Macs.


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

verbalista said:


> And, BTW, what does Apple have against left-handers? Many creatives are left-handed and use Macs.


Where do I start with the problems with left-handers? 

I don't know of any left hand cursors for OS X 10.6 or newer. There were some application to do it for <10.6, but none I know of that work anymore.


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## tompatrick (Apr 19, 2010)

verbalista said:


> I'm left-handed. I like my cursors to come from the left, as my writing and pointing do in the "real" world (not gratuitous quotataion marks, the world in my computer is super real to me)l
> 
> When I had a PC, all manner of lefty cursors were available and easy to install. However, I can't find one single simple classic set for Mac OSX Lion (or for my older iMac running 10.5.8, either).
> 
> ...


This is interesting one, Launch System preferences<<Click Mouse<<see the primary mouse button<<select right.

Follow the steps on your Mac, if this works then all is well for left handers 

Source: - osxdaily.com/2011/07/09/set-a-mac-mouse-to-be-left-handed/


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

tompatrick said:


> This is interesting one, Launch System preferences<<Click Mouse<<see the primary mouse button<<select right.


This only affects the functionality, not the UI aspect which I believe *verbalista* is looking for.


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## verbalista (Oct 16, 2001)

Yes, I was speaking only of the pointer image, I know how to change the functions of the mouse buttons.
BTW, Tests conducted by Alan Searleman from St Lawrence University in New York found there were more left-handed people with IQs over 140 than right-handed people. Famous left-handed thinkers in history from Albert Einstein to Isaac Newton to Benjamin Franklin seem to underline the point. 
Only about 10% of humans are left-handed, but, those of us who fit that category are not sinister, LOL. All I'm asking is for a simple on-screen pointer, and there are so many provided for PC users that I'm feeling excluded.


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

I'm not a Mac user myself, so I don't know whether this is even possible. However, have you considered just making one yourself? The image manipulation involved would be as simple as reflecting the image in the vertical axis.


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## verbalista (Oct 16, 2001)

I made one myself, using a program that creates cursors. The sweet spot wasn't exact, the original wrong-way cursor worked better. I tried several times, altering the cursor, I tried just reversing the original cursor, but, nothing I am skilled enough to do (with Photoshop) would work as well as the original, right-handed cursor.
There are many cursor packs available for Mac, they offer styles soooo varied, rocket ships, animals, birds, icons that reference superheroes...but, not one of any style is a lefty cursor. My PCs, used for years, each had lefty cursors I easily downloaded from the net. I would love to find just one simple lefty cursor for the Mac. The Mac has facility to reverse the mouse buttons, so that lefties can "right click" on the left, in case their mice are on the left side of their computers, to accommodate their left hands, but, no matching pointer.


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## wowzer (Dec 28, 2009)

http://forums.macnn.com/90/mac-os-x/329801/there-any-way-change-cursor-osx/


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## verbalista (Oct 16, 2001)

I bought Mighty Mouse before I posted this thread. Mighty Mouse no longer offers a lefty cursor. It is possible to install a home-made cursor with Mighty Mouse, but, as I mentioned, the ones I made didn't work as well as the ones that came with my system. So, I have been living with the wrong-way cursors. I posted the thread in hope that someone actually may have created a lefty cursor that works, or that there might be a cursor pack available with a lefty cursor that I missed in my searches. Thank you, Wowzer for trying to help me. I'm about to go from cursor to cursing about this silly little problem. I hate to "get used to it" with something that seems so easy to fix. I used Mighty Mouse to substitute a flying dove for the spinning rainbow, so, at least the purchase wasn't a total loss.


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## wowzer (Dec 28, 2009)

I have not looked into this much but how did you do it with Mighty Mouse or any other cursor you like..

Did you create it and import it into the correct mac library/place?

What program did you use to create the new cursor?


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## verbalista (Oct 16, 2001)

Believe me, I tried this so many different ways that I can't remember them all. BUT, tonite, I found a cursor I downloaded as an archived image last year, and somehow managed to put it into Mighty Mouse and now I have a white lefty cursor. Of course, I'd far prefer to have black, but, hey, it's coming in from the left side, and that is making me happy. The "hot spot" is where I adjusted it to be, that's easy in Mighty Mouse. Anyone hoping to find a lefty cursor needs to know that ones you make yourself for Mighty Mouse must be tiff with transparency. You can use a tiff without transparency if you mount a transparent image .16x.16 as well. I used Photoshop when I made my own cursors. I tried flipping the existing one, no luck. The ones I downloaded tonight are unix executables, which supposedly will work if you put them into your extension folder and restart your Mac, I tried that, they don't work on here. I can't believe I really do have at least one lefty cursor and that I will see it instead of the wrong-way one. But, I'd sure like a complete set, I especially would love a "hand" that is a left hand. Anyway, if I find anything else or succeed in any new way, I'll post that for the sake of other eager MacLefties on this site.


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## allnodcoms (Jun 30, 2007)

I am just such a "MacLeftie" and have never really thought about it, but now you've got me thinking! 

Danny


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## verbalista (Oct 16, 2001)

Allnodcoms...why not? We deserve equal cursors! Hey, I bet, if a survey were made, that a disproportionate number of Mac users would turn out to be left-handed. Lefties aren't sinister, LOL.


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## allnodcoms (Jun 30, 2007)

verbalista said:


> Lefties aren't sinister, LOL.


Oh I don't know... I have my moments! 

Danny


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

verbalista said:


> Allnodcoms...why not? We deserve equal cursors! Hey, I bet, if a survey were made, that a disproportionate number of Mac users would turn out to be left-handed. Lefties aren't sinister, LOL.


Disproportionate number? 75%?

I don't know about all this left-wing lefty talk. Next thing you know you'll being trying to do something about the gear shift in your car being on your right side too! 

To think, just my dad's generation ago they forced many children to switch from being left to right handed. (him included)

It seems like a trivial thing, not sure why Apple never added it. My guess is the reward vs return just isn't there and not enough people ever complained about it.

If you want to check out the built in OS X cursors, they are here: /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/HiServices.framework/Versions/A/Resources/cursors


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## verbalista (Oct 16, 2001)

There are many, many lefy cursors available to PC users. Since there are more lefties among Mac users, and Lion is so full of complicated operations, I'd think 4 or 5 tiny images would not be such a big concession. I was forced to eat with my right hand when I learned to eat, since my mother thought I'd be awkward at dinner parties if my elbow conflicted with the person on my left. Lots of things are arranged for right-handed people and no thought of any other way to manage is even given. Imagine if all your cursors were reversed. It would feel unnatural.
I'm off to look at the system cursors, though I'll be seeing only those in 10.5.8 tonite, in the morning, I'll look in Lion. Your info on where to look is just invaluable! I wish I understood how to install a cursor that is a Unix Executable File.
Thank you, Headrush.


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