What is a cursor? Easily explained

Cursor is often used as a synonym for the mouse pointer, which is not entirely correct. We clarify what exactly a cursor is, what the term means and what are the differences.

Cursor - cursor on the screen

• Cursor comes from the Latin and means something like "runner". Other German terms are also input pointers or input marks.
• The cursor marks the current machining position in a computer program on a screen. It shows the place where the next entry appears.
• In a text field in a text editor, such as Word, the cursor is displayed as a flashing, vertical line.
• Sometimes the cursor is also shown as a rectangular block or flashing underscore. This is the case, for example, in the command prompt.
• The mouse pointer that you can operate with the mouse or a trackpad of a notebook is often referred to as a cursor. In English, the mouse pointer is actually called "mouse pointer", which is why cursor is a common but not entirely correct term.

Another technical term that is used a lot is spyware. We'll explain what spyware is in the next article.