With KDE SC 4.8.1 if I use the magnify effect, i.e. zoom in and back out via meta+0 the mouse cursor is not visible anymore until I disable/enable desktop effects.

Anybody else seeing that?

"Magnifier" or "Zoom" effect?
In case of "Zoom" - what's the mouse pointer setting, does it have an impact?

In German it's called Bildschirmlupe, i.e. display magnifying glass. There is another effect just called "Lupe", i.e. magnifying glass and Arbeitsflächen Vergrößerung, i.e. Desktop Zooming.

Not sure what you mean with mouse pointer setting, I use the standard oxygen mouse cursor.

Fisheye or black frame with zoomed content?

Although I switched systemsettings' language to English the effect names are still in German. Yet having a look at the effect's help dialogue it desribes that it works like a fisheye lens. And since the other magnifying effect has a black frame, I go for fisheye.

sounds like Bug #289336

Seems like I fooled myself.

I was not using the fisheye but the zoom desktop effect.

Another issue while using that effect is that the mouse cursor does not change at all, i.e. hovering the edge of a window does not make it change to the resize cursor etc.

I also tested on another system and there the cursor does not disappear, i.e. nvidia binary works, intel not.

NVIDIA glxinfo:
glxinfo
name of display: :0
display: :0 screen: 0
direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
server glx version string: 1.4
server glx extensions:
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig,
GLX_SGIX_pbuffer, GLX_SGI_video_sync, GLX_SGI_swap_control,
GLX_EXT_swap_control, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap, GLX_ARB_create_context,
GLX_ARB_create_context_profile, GLX_EXT_create_context_es2_profile,
GLX_ARB_create_context_robustness, GLX_ARB_multisample,
GLX_NV_float_buffer, GLX_ARB_fbconfig_float
client glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
client glx version string: 1.4
client glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_visual_info,
GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_EXT_import_context, GLX_SGI_video_sync,
GLX_NV_swap_group, GLX_NV_video_out, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_pbuffer,
GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_EXT_swap_control, GLX_ARB_create_context,
GLX_ARB_create_context_profile, GLX_NV_float_buffer,
GLX_ARB_fbconfig_float, GLX_EXT_fbconfig_packed_float,
GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap, GLX_EXT_framebuffer_sRGB,
GLX_NV_present_video, GLX_NV_copy_image, GLX_NV_multisample_coverage,
GLX_NV_video_capture, GLX_EXT_create_context_es2_profile,
GLX_ARB_create_context_robustness
GLX extensions:
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig,
GLX_SGIX_pbuffer, GLX_SGI_video_sync, GLX_SGI_swap_control,
GLX_EXT_swap_control, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap, GLX_ARB_create_context,
GLX_ARB_create_context_profile, GLX_EXT_create_context_es2_profile,
GLX_ARB_create_context_robustness, GLX_ARB_multisample,
GLX_NV_float_buffer, GLX_ARB_fbconfig_float, GLX_ARB_get_proc_address
OpenGL vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
OpenGL renderer string: GeForce 7600 GS/PCI/SSE2
OpenGL version string: 2.1.2 NVIDIA 290.10
OpenGL extensions:
GL_ARB_color_buffer_float, GL_ARB_compressed_texture_pixel_storage,
GL_ARB_conservative_depth, GL_ARB_copy_buffer, GL_ARB_depth_clamp,
GL_ARB_depth_texture, GL_ARB_draw_buffers, GL_ARB_ES2_compatibility,
GL_ARB_explicit_attrib_location, GL_ARB_fragment_program,
GL_ARB_fragment_program_shadow, GL_ARB_fragment_shader,
GL_ARB_framebuffer_object, GL_ARB_get_program_binary,
GL_ARB_half_float_pixel, GL_ARB_half_float_vertex, GL_ARB_imaging,
GL_ARB_internalformat_query, GL_ARB_map_buffer_alignment,
GL_ARB_map_buffer_range, GL_ARB_multisample, GL_ARB_multitexture,
GL_ARB_occlusion_query, GL_ARB_occlusion_query2,
GL_ARB_pixel_buffer_object, GL_ARB_point_parameters, GL_ARB_point_sprite,
GL_ARB_provoking_vertex, GL_ARB_robustness, GL_ARB_sampler_objects,
GL_ARB_separate_shader_objects, GL_ARB_shader_objects,
GL_ARB_shading_language_100, GL_ARB_shading_language_420pack,
GL_ARB_shading_language_include, GL_ARB_shadow, GL_ARB_sync,
GL_ARB_texture_border_clamp, GL_ARB_texture_compression,
GL_ARB_texture_cube_map, GL_ARB_texture_env_add,
GL_ARB_texture_env_combine, GL_ARB_texture_env_crossbar,
GL_ARB_texture_env_dot3, GL_ARB_texture_float,
GL_ARB_texture_mirrored_repeat, GL_ARB_texture_non_power_of_two,
GL_ARB_texture_rectangle, GL_ARB_texture_rg, GL_ARB_texture_storage,
GL_ARB_texture_swizzle, GL_ARB_timer_query, GL_ARB_transpose_matrix,
GL_ARB_vertex_array_bgra, GL_ARB_vertex_array_object,
GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object, GL_ARB_vertex_program, GL_ARB_vertex_shader,
GL_ARB_window_pos, GL_ATI_draw_buffers, GL_ATI_texture_float,
GL_ATI_texture_mirror_once, GL_S3_s3tc, GL_EXT_texture_env_add,
GL_EXT_abgr, GL_EXT_bgra, GL_EXT_blend_color,
GL_EXT_blend_equation_separate, GL_EXT_blend_func_separate,
GL_EXT_blend_minmax, GL_EXT_blend_subtract, GL_EXT_compiled_vertex_array,
GL_EXT_Cg_shader, GL_EXT_depth_bounds_test, GL_EXT_direct_state_access,
GL_EXT_draw_range_elements, GL_EXT_fog_coord, GL_EXT_framebuffer_blit,
GL_EXT_framebuffer_multisample, GL_EXT_framebuffer_object,
GL_EXT_gpu_program_parameters, GL_EXT_multi_draw_arrays,
GL_EXT_packed_depth_stencil, GL_EXT_packed_pixels,
GL_EXT_pixel_buffer_object, GL_EXT_point_parameters,
GL_EXT_provoking_vertex, GL_EXT_rescale_normal, GL_EXT_secondary_color,
GL_EXT_separate_shader_objects, GL_EXT_separate_specular_color,
GL_EXT_shadow_funcs, GL_EXT_stencil_two_side, GL_EXT_stencil_wrap,
GL_EXT_texture3D, GL_EXT_texture_compression_dxt1,
GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc, GL_EXT_texture_cube_map,
GL_EXT_texture_edge_clamp, GL_EXT_texture_env_combine,
GL_EXT_texture_env_dot3, GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic,
GL_EXT_texture_format_BGRA8888, GL_EXT_texture_lod,
GL_EXT_texture_lod_bias, GL_EXT_texture_mirror_clamp,
GL_EXT_texture_object, GL_EXT_texture_sRGB, GL_EXT_texture_sRGB_decode,
GL_EXT_texture_storage, GL_EXT_texture_swizzle, GL_EXT_timer_query,
GL_EXT_vertex_array, GL_EXT_vertex_array_bgra, GL_EXT_x11_sync_object,
GL_EXT_import_sync_object, GL_IBM_rasterpos_clip,
GL_IBM_texture_mirrored_repeat, GL_KTX_buffer_region, GL_NV_alpha_test,
GL_NV_blend_minmax, GL_NV_blend_square, GL_NV_complex_primitives,
GL_NV_copy_depth_to_color, GL_NV_depth_clamp, GL_NV_fbo_color_attachments,
GL_NV_fence, GL_NV_float_buffer, GL_NV_fog_distance, GL_NV_fragdepth,
GL_NV_fragment_program, GL_NV_fragment_program_option,
GL_NV_fragment_program2, GL_NV_framebuffer_multisample_coverage,
GL_NV_half_float, GL_NV_light_max_exponent, GL_NV_multisample_filter_hint,
GL_NV_occlusion_query, GL_NV_packed_depth_stencil, GL_NV_pixel_data_range,
GL_NV_point_sprite, GL_NV_primitive_restart, GL_NV_register_combiners,
GL_NV_register_combiners2, GL_NV_texgen_reflection, GL_NV_texture_barrier,
GL_NV_texture_compression_vtc, GL_NV_texture_env_combine4,
GL_NV_texture_expand_normal, GL_NV_texture_lod_clamp,
GL_NV_texture_rectangle, GL_NV_texture_shader, GL_NV_texture_shader2,
GL_NV_texture_shader3, GL_NV_vertex_array_range,
GL_NV_vertex_array_range2, GL_NV_vertex_program, GL_NV_vertex_program1_1,
GL_NV_vertex_program2, GL_NV_vertex_program2_option,
GL_NV_vertex_program3, GL_NVX_conditional_render, GL_OES_depth24,
GL_OES_depth32, GL_OES_depth_texture, GL_OES_element_index_uint,
GL_OES_fbo_render_mipmap, GL_OES_get_program_binary, GL_OES_mapbuffer,
GL_OES_packed_depth_stencil, GL_OES_rgb8_rgba8,
GL_OES_standard_derivatives, GL_OES_texture_3D, GL_OES_texture_float,
GL_OES_texture_float_linear, GL_OES_texture_half_float,
GL_OES_texture_half_float_linear, GL_OES_texture_npot,
GL_OES_vertex_array_object, GL_OES_vertex_half_float,
GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap, GL_SGIS_texture_lod, GL_SGIX_depth_texture,
GL_SGIX_shadow, GL_SUN_slice_accum
glu version: 1.3
glu extensions:
GLU_EXT_nurbs_tessellator, GLU_EXT_object_space_tess

intel glxinfo:

glxinfo
name of display: :0
display: :0 screen: 0
direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: SGI
server glx version string: 1.4
server glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_MESA_copy_sub_buffer,
GLX_OML_swap_method, GLX_SGI_make_current_read, GLX_SGI_swap_control,
GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_pbuffer,
GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group, GLX_INTEL_swap_event
client glx vendor string: Mesa Project and SGI
client glx version string: 1.4
client glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_EXT_framebuffer_sRGB,
GLX_MESA_copy_sub_buffer, GLX_MESA_multithread_makecurrent,
GLX_MESA_swap_control, GLX_OML_swap_method, GLX_OML_sync_control,
GLX_SGI_make_current_read, GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_SGI_video_sync,
GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_pbuffer,
GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap,
GLX_INTEL_swap_event
GLX extensions:
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_MESA_copy_sub_buffer,
GLX_MESA_multithread_makecurrent, GLX_MESA_swap_control,
GLX_OML_swap_method, GLX_OML_sync_control, GLX_SGI_make_current_read,
GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_SGI_video_sync, GLX_SGIS_multisample,
GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_pbuffer, GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group,
GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap, GLX_INTEL_swap_event
OpenGL vendor string: Tungsten Graphics, Inc
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI Intel(R) 965GM x86/MMX/SSE2
OpenGL version string: 2.1 Mesa 7.11
OpenGL extensions:
GL_ARB_multisample, GL_EXT_abgr, GL_EXT_bgra, GL_EXT_blend_color,
GL_EXT_blend_logic_op, GL_EXT_blend_minmax, GL_EXT_blend_subtract,
GL_EXT_copy_texture, GL_EXT_polygon_offset, GL_EXT_subtexture,
GL_EXT_texture_object, GL_EXT_vertex_array, GL_EXT_compiled_vertex_array,
GL_EXT_texture, GL_EXT_texture3D, GL_IBM_rasterpos_clip,
GL_ARB_point_parameters, GL_EXT_draw_range_elements, GL_EXT_packed_pixels,
GL_EXT_point_parameters, GL_EXT_rescale_normal,
GL_EXT_separate_specular_color, GL_EXT_texture_edge_clamp,
GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap, GL_SGIS_texture_border_clamp,
GL_SGIS_texture_edge_clamp, GL_SGIS_texture_lod, GL_ARB_framebuffer_sRGB,
GL_ARB_multitexture, GL_EXT_framebuffer_sRGB,
GL_IBM_multimode_draw_arrays, GL_IBM_texture_mirrored_repeat,
GL_3DFX_texture_compression_FXT1, GL_ARB_texture_cube_map,
GL_ARB_texture_env_add, GL_ARB_transpose_matrix,
GL_EXT_blend_func_separate, GL_EXT_fog_coord, GL_EXT_multi_draw_arrays,
GL_EXT_secondary_color, GL_EXT_texture_env_add,
GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic, GL_EXT_texture_lod_bias,
GL_INGR_blend_func_separate, GL_NV_blend_square, GL_NV_light_max_exponent,
GL_NV_texgen_reflection, GL_NV_texture_env_combine4,
GL_SUN_multi_draw_arrays, GL_ARB_texture_border_clamp,
GL_ARB_texture_compression, GL_EXT_framebuffer_object,
GL_EXT_texture_env_dot3, GL_MESA_window_pos, GL_NV_packed_depth_stencil,
GL_NV_texture_rectangle, GL_NV_vertex_program, GL_ARB_depth_texture,
GL_ARB_occlusion_query, GL_ARB_shadow, GL_ARB_texture_env_combine,
GL_ARB_texture_env_crossbar, GL_ARB_texture_env_dot3,
GL_ARB_texture_mirrored_repeat, GL_ARB_window_pos, GL_ATI_envmap_bumpmap,
GL_EXT_stencil_two_side, GL_EXT_texture_cube_map, GL_NV_depth_clamp,
GL_NV_vertex_program1_1, GL_APPLE_client_storage, GL_APPLE_packed_pixels,
GL_APPLE_vertex_array_object, GL_ARB_draw_buffers,
GL_ARB_fragment_program, GL_ARB_fragment_shader, GL_ARB_shader_objects,
GL_ARB_vertex_program, GL_ARB_vertex_shader, GL_ATI_draw_buffers,
GL_ATI_texture_env_combine3, GL_EXT_shadow_funcs, GL_EXT_stencil_wrap,
GL_MESA_pack_invert, GL_MESA_ycbcr_texture, GL_ARB_depth_clamp,
GL_ARB_fragment_program_shadow, GL_ARB_half_float_pixel,
GL_ARB_point_sprite, GL_ARB_shading_language_100, GL_ARB_sync,
GL_ARB_texture_non_power_of_two, GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object,
GL_ATI_blend_equation_separate, GL_EXT_blend_equation_separate,
GL_OES_read_format, GL_ARB_color_buffer_float, GL_ARB_pixel_buffer_object,
GL_ARB_texture_compression_rgtc, GL_ARB_texture_rectangle,
GL_EXT_pixel_buffer_object, GL_EXT_texture_compression_rgtc,
GL_EXT_texture_rectangle, GL_EXT_texture_sRGB, GL_ARB_framebuffer_object,
GL_EXT_framebuffer_blit, GL_EXT_framebuffer_multisample,
GL_EXT_packed_depth_stencil, GL_APPLE_object_purgeable,
GL_ARB_vertex_array_object, GL_ATI_separate_stencil, GL_EXT_draw_buffers2,
GL_EXT_gpu_program_parameters, GL_EXT_texture_env_combine,
GL_EXT_texture_sRGB_decode, GL_OES_EGL_image, GL_ARB_copy_buffer,
GL_ARB_half_float_vertex, GL_ARB_map_buffer_range, GL_ARB_texture_rg,
GL_ARB_texture_swizzle, GL_ARB_vertex_array_bgra,
GL_EXT_separate_shader_objects, GL_EXT_texture_swizzle,
GL_EXT_vertex_array_bgra, GL_NV_conditional_render,
GL_ARB_ES2_compatibility, GL_ARB_draw_elements_base_vertex,
GL_ARB_explicit_attrib_location, GL_ARB_fragment_coord_conventions,
GL_ARB_provoking_vertex, GL_ARB_sampler_objects, GL_ARB_seamless_cube_map,
GL_ARB_shader_texture_lod, GL_EXT_provoking_vertex, GL_EXT_texture_snorm,
GL_MESA_texture_signed_rgba, GL_ARB_robustness
glu version: 1.3
glu extensions:
GLU_EXT_nurbs_tessellator, GLU_EXT_object_space_tess

09: PCI 02.0: 0300 VGA compatible controller (VGA)
[Created at pci.319]
Unique ID: _Znp.96rjlAI3YhC
SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0
SysFS BusID: 0000:00:02.0
Hardware Class: graphics card
Model: "Dell Inspiron 1420"
Vendor: pci 0x8086 "Intel Corporation"
Device: pci 0x2a02 "965 GM"
SubVendor: pci 0x1028 "Dell"
SubDevice: pci 0x01f3 "Inspiron 1420"
Revision: 0x0c
Driver: "i915"
Driver Modules: "drm"
Memory Range: 0xfea00000-0xfeafffff (rw,non-prefetchable)
Memory Range: 0xe0000000-0xefffffff (ro,non-prefetchable)
I/O Ports: 0xeff8-0xefff (rw)
IRQ: 45 (180071 events)
I/O Ports: 0x3c0-0x3df (rw)
Module Alias: "pci:v00008086d00002A02sv00001028sd000001F3bc03sc00i00"
Driver Info #0:
XFree86 v4 Server Module: intel
Driver Info #1:
XFree86 v4 Server Module: intel
3D Support: yes
Extensions: dri
Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown

10: PCI 02.1: 0380 Display controller
[Created at pci.319]
Unique ID: ruGf.gYCMf0bjpI2
SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1
SysFS BusID: 0000:00:02.1
Hardware Class: graphics card
Model: "Dell Inspiron 1420"
Vendor: pci 0x8086 "Intel Corporation"
Device: pci 0x2a03 "Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller"
SubVendor: pci 0x1028 "Dell"
SubDevice: pci 0x01f3 "Dell Inspiron 1420"
Revision: 0x0c
Memory Range: 0xfeb00000-0xfebfffff (rw,non-prefetchable)
Module Alias: "pci:v00008086d00002A03sv00001028sd000001F3bc03sc80i00"
Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown

is most likely 289336 then, just jumped on my todo list.
if you don't use "keep" and "proportional" tracking (effect settings) the cursor shape won't change because it's a fake. the actual cursor is hidden and an image is shown instead.

Ok. Thanks for looking into this!