Aaron Adams’s Blowhard Blog

In case you missed it elsewhere, the helpful developer at this site has created a kernel extension that enables certain older Apple notebook trackpads to behave like the new trackpads on Apple’s recently introduced PowerBooks. I’ve been using it for the past few days on a previous generation Aluminum PowerBook with no problems. I can’t compare it to Apple’s implementation because I haven’t used a new PowerBook yet, but it’s certainly an interesting way to scroll through long web pages or documents.

If your notebook is compatible (instructions are provided on the page to find out if it is), it’s worth a try. Unloading the Apple-provided kernel extension and replacing it with this different one currently requires some Terminal magic, but the page provides very good directions how to do so. The developer states that he’s working on an installer package and a preference pane for future release.

I received a call from my friend Todd last week. He has a customer that wants to set up a secure web kiosk cheaply. He asked if I thought the Mac mini would be a good choice for such a project.

Great idea!

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And you thought I forgot about the Mac mini!

I used to be one of those people who built my own computer every year or 18 months because I could customize a machine cheaply and get exactly what I wanted for my money. As keeping up with the plethora of hardware choices became more difficult, as the substantive differences between generations of hardware became less pronounced, as the hardware I had chosen came back to bite me in the ass in unanticipated ways later, and as my time spent researching, assembling, and building homemade boxes became needed in other pursuits, I gave up rolling my own.

However, as I’m sure you’re aware, there are still many people out there who do, and a motivating factor among those who build rather than buy is price. The Mac mini has received quite a bit of attention recently, and because of its low price, Apple’s least expensive machine, fairly or not, gets compared to these very inexpensive do-it-yourself computers. If Macs really are as great as I’ve heard, some people reason, perhaps it’s worth a comparatively modest expenditure to try it and see what I think.

Such was the case with Mick, a build-it-yourselfer. When rumors were flying about a potential headless Mac, I asked in my forums whether Windows users would really consider buying such a thing. Mick said he would, and now that the Mac mini is a reality, I’ve followed up with him to find out whether he has a Mac mini yet, and to discover the reasoning behind his decision.

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