Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

xmodmap VS PointerFocus

Compare xmodmap VS PointerFocus and see what are their differences

xmodmap logo xmodmap

The xmodmap program is used to edit and display the keyboard modifier map and keymap table that are...

PointerFocus logo PointerFocus

Allows you to highlight the cursor using either the toolbar or hotkeys.
  • xmodmap Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-12
  • PointerFocus Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-07-03

xmodmap features and specs

  • Flexibility
    xmodmap allows users to remap keys and buttons according to their preferences, providing high customization flexibility.
  • Simplicity
    The utility is straightforward and simple to use for basic key remapping tasks, making it accessible to users with varying technical skills.
  • Compatibility
    xmodmap is compatible with many UNIX-like operating systems and can be used in various desktop environments.

Possible disadvantages of xmodmap

  • Limited Features
    xmodmap lacks some advanced features and functionalities found in more modern key remapping tools.
  • Volatility
    Changes made with xmodmap are not persistent across sessions and need to be reapplied each time the user logs in.
  • Deprecated
    xmodmap is considered deprecated in favor of other tools like setxkbmap and can have compatibility issues with newer systems.

PointerFocus features and specs

  • Highlight Mouse Pointer
    PointerFocus allows users to easily highlight the mouse pointer with a customizable circle, making it ideal for presentations and screen-sharing sessions to keep the audience's attention focused on the key areas.
  • Mouse Spotlight
    The software offers a spotlight feature that dims the surrounding area of the screen, highlighting the mouse pointer position. This is particularly useful for focusing on specific parts of the screen during demonstrations.
  • Keyboard Shortcut Commands
    PointerFocus includes customizable keyboard shortcuts that enable quick toggling of pointer effects, increasing efficiency and ease of use for presenters and instructors.
  • Drawing On Screen
    Users can draw directly on the screen, which is beneficial for annotating or emphasizing certain aspects of a presentation or a teaching session.
  • Affordable Pricing
    PointerFocus is reasonably priced compared to other presentation and annotation tools, making it accessible to individual teachers and small businesses.

Possible disadvantages of PointerFocus

  • Limited Operating System Compatibility
    PointerFocus is only available for Windows, meaning that users on other operating systems like macOS or Linux cannot use this software.
  • Basic Feature Set
    While it provides essential features for highlighting and annotation, some users may find PointerFocus lacking in advanced options and customization compared to more extensive presentation software.
  • Occasional Performance Issues
    Some users have reported minor performance issues and lags when using PointerFocus, especially on older hardware or less powerful systems.
  • No Cloud Integration
    PointerFocus does not offer any cloud integration features, which could be a drawback for users who want to save and access their annotations or settings across multiple devices.
  • Aesthetic Limitations
    The visual customization options, while functional, might seem limited or outdated, potentially affecting users who need polished, professional aesthetics in their presentations.

xmodmap videos

Remap keys via xmodmap no longer works

More videos:

PointerFocus videos

No PointerFocus videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to xmodmap and PointerFocus)
OS & Utilities
64 64%
36% 36
Productivity
0 0%
100% 100
Note Taking
45 45%
55% 55
Tool
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, xmodmap seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

xmodmap mentions (1)

  • Unicode Character โ€œ๐•โ€ (U+1D54F)
    The character is used by another famous piece of software for what, 40 years? https://x.org/wiki/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago

PointerFocus mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of PointerFocus yet. Tracking of PointerFocus recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing xmodmap and PointerFocus, you can also consider the following products

Microsoft keyboard layout creator - Edit the windows keyboard layout.

Pen Attention - A free program that places a highlighted circle or square around the cursor for use in a classroom...

Stick Shift - Stick Shift saves you time by removing repetitive changes to hand position when programming.

Mouseposรฉ - Mouseposรฉ is the indispensible mouse pointer highlighting tool (aka "virtual...

Mir - The purpose of Mir is to enable the development of user interfaces shells.

SpotOnTheMouse - SpotOnTheMouse is a mouse pointer and keyboard action visualization software.