Cursor hotspot

In computing, a pointer or mouse cursor is a symbol or graphical image on the computer monitor or other display device that echoes movements of the pointing device, commonly a mouse, touchpad, or stylus pen, as part of a personal computer WIMP style of interaction. It signals the point where actions of the user take place. It can be used in text-based or graphical user interfaces to select and move other elements. It is distinct from the cursor, which responds to keyboard input. The cursor may also be repositioned using the pointer.

The pointer commonly appears as an angled arrow (because historically the angled shape improved appearance on low resolution screens), but it can vary within different programs or operating systems. A pointer is employed when the input method, or pointing device, is a device that can move fluidly across a screen and select or highlight objects on the screen. In GUIs where the input method relies on hard keys, such as the five-way key on many mobile phones, the GUI relies on a clear focus state.

The pointer's "hotspot" is the active pixel of the pointer, used to target a click or drag. The pointer's hotspot is normally along the pointer edges or on its center.

Moving the pointer around the screen may reveal screen hotspots as the pointer changes shape depending on the circumstances. For example, the corners and edges of the screen may act as hotspots. According to Fitts's law, which predicts the time it takes to reach a target area, moving mouse and stylus pointers to those spots is easy and fast. As the pointer usually stops when reaching a screen edge, the size of those spots can be considered of virtual infinite size, so the hot corners and edges can be reached quickly by throwing the pointer toward the edges.

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Wikipedia