Hi,
Raster apps I've used generally have an option to switch from a changing tool-specific mouse cursor to a "crosshairs" style where the "target" point (exact coordinate point when you click) is always dead center in the cursor. Is there any way to get Inkscape to do this? I'm working with lots of very thin "shading" paths overlayed over objects and finding I spend a lot of time with either zooming in and out or pressing tab to get the right things selected, or thinking I have the right thing selected and having to undo stuff because I was wrong.

Hi knurledflanges,
No offense, but your username cracks me up !

There's no way to use a different cursor than the ones assigned to each tool. However, I must admit that I do use the Node tool, most of the time, and then switch to the Selector tool, simply because of the tiny pointer of the Node tool. I find it to be much more accurrate, and a lot can be done still, without switching to Selector (color, stroke width, blue, transparency). I'm working on an image with a lot of small objects and tiny paths right now, so I understand your problem!

One thing that I've found really helpful, and that you might also, is a little known feature in which the Q key imposes a zoom (different amounts in different situations), that becomes unzoomed when you release the key. Details about this feature can be found in this topic: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5690

As I've worked with it, I find that I like to use the Q zoom, then move the cursor off the canvas. This kind of freezes the zoom, so I can work a few steps further, then while the cursor is still on the canvas, click Q again to release the zoom. Mostly I just forget to hold the key after a moment or too, then I lose everything when I accidentally release the key. But I do find it a much smoother workflow, to use the Q zoom, than the zoom tool.

All that said, I have made a new feature request to reselect the last selected object or to optionally not show the arrows of a selection. If either of those could happen, then I would not need to zoom so much in the first place. Bug #695940 (Plus ~suv has added a couple of related bugs, which I also would support.) Not sure if these issues fit your situation? But if so, you could add your support to any of the related bugs by clicking "This bug affects you!". That's no guarantee it will be done, but I like to think it helps (else why does that button exist )

And I also think a choice of cursors would be nice to have, and you're more than welcome to submit your own new feature/wish list "bug" report. Because that's how Open Source works. But I also like to remember, before submitting new feature/wish list requests, that they take time away from other important Inkscape development. So something has to really, really bug me, before I take that step. However, I can't say the same thing about "This bug affects you!" button. If someone else has reported the same problem, I don't think my support of the issue takes any more time away than when the original person reported/requested.

Ok, sorry for carrying on so long. I just thought it might be helpful info.
All best

PS -- Unless you use Linux os. I do believe with Linux os, you can impose Linux icons -- not sure if that includes cursor/pointer or not?

Thanks for the reply Brynn. Q-zoom could indeed help me out some of the time.

I actually am on Ubuntu Linux. I'm sure there's both a way of configuring it to use a dedicated cursor for Inkscape and also getting the "click point" right where I want it on the cursor, but I'm not really a technical user to the extent that figuring it out would save time in the end.