They shoul dmake it a grab hand when over the map, A pointing Finger
for clicking Markers and default for using the zoom menu.

This way people new to the map will knowits not a static image and that
they can DRAG the map when they see the drag hand cursor.

Is there a way to map this behavior using javascript or xml?

Also, can you add custom mouse icons?

This is taken from the Google maps javascript, but it isn't a public
function so you can setup one as an override:

function setCursor(object,cursorStyle) {
    try {
        object.style.cursor=cursorStyle;
    }
    catch(c) {
         if ( cursorStyle=="pointer" ) {
             setCursor(object,"hand")
         }
    }

This operates purely via CSS, so everything you can do with the
"cursor" style in CSS, you can do in Google Maps.  Here is a link to
read up on the cursor property: http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-CSS2/ui.html

Hope this helps.

-J. Shirley
Find out where to eat:  http://www.toeat.com

You go do it in CSS:
#map img {cursor:hand;}

And yes, it is possibe to use custom files. Its easier than, say,
embedding fonts, since it has no special file and you neednt worry
about @import functionality. Just upload a .cur and use "cursor:
url('addressOFcursor.cur');".

Thanks guys, I will give it a try!!!!