From al3x.net:

The thing that bothers me most about the iPad is this: if I had an iPad rather than a real computer as a kid, I’d never be a programmer today. I’d never have had the ability to run whatever stupid, potentially harmful, hugely educational programs I could download or write. I wouldn’t have been able to fire up ResEdit and edit out the Mac startup sound so I could tinker on the computer at all hours without waking my parents. The iPad may be a boon to traditional eduction, insofar as it allows for multimedia textbooks and such, but in its current form, it’s a detriment to the sort of hacker culture that has propelled the digital economy.

I’m a fairly young person, yet I realize these sentiments are shared in every generation. “My kids won’t have the same great experiences I had because of this new technology. They won’t know the joy of riding a horse on the open range because of this newfangled mechanical carriage!”

Your kids are going to have the wonderful experience of opening up an interactive textbook on their iPad and learning about how their cells work. Or tapping on a circuit design simulation application and dragging components into a circuit to create a ripple adder. Or posting to their virtual reality homebase that because of the new GenomeEditor 3000 (with presets!!), their kids aren’t going to have the fun of tinkering with their genome. So the “think of the children!” argument isn’t going to sway me. You can leave those up to Fox News.

The new paradigm of a simplified, consumer electronics computing experience isn’t going to catch on overnight. Look on the bright side though. By the time the only computers left are the ones abstracted away enough to where you can’t edit the startup sound, we’ll be retired or, fingers crossed, dead.

Poster PDF (zip 5.46MB).

Oh hell yeah. This thing is awesome. I finally have a mac that is on the cutting edge. Nothing against my iBook 700…but it was pretty slow. Compiles took way too freakin’ long. Setup was a breeze. I just used the Mac to Mac transfer utility. Except for the powerbook going to sleep right in the middle of the transfer (while plugged in no less), it was flawless. This picture was taken by my brand new SD300 camera. I would take a picture of that to show you, but well…you know. Am I going overboard with my electronics purchase? Yes, but this is the first time in my life where I’ve had a new computer…wow…hard to believe! I’m on my way baby! Here are the specs.

Me:“Hey, um my trackpad is a little worn. Can you guys replace that or is that something Applecare doesn’t cover?”

Apple:“No, we can do that no problem. Let me just write it down here…ok. What address do you want me to send the box too?”

Great, they were replacing it! I send it off and a couple days later I get it back. I open up the box and the computer doesn’t look at all different. The trackpad still has its shiny worn spot in the center. I check the sheet describing what they did and it says they replaced the Battery (which was part of the recall) and the logic board. The logic board?? Those things are probably 10 times more expensive than a trackpad…what is the deal? I call Apple back and the conversation goes something like this:

Me:“Hey, um you guys didn’t replace my trackpad and you said you would.”

Apple:“Oh wow! That is weird. The tech must have just missed that note there. Lets get a box out to you so we can replace it. I am so sorry. What is your address again?”

Ok, at least they apologized for missing it, and I got a free logic board out of the deal. Nifty. I send it back one more time and a few days later I get it back. I open up the box and to my surprise/bewilderment, nothing has changed! I immediately look at the sheet and…nothing has changed. They took it directly from the box it came in, and put it into the box it was sent in! I immediately called them back. The conversation when something like this:

Me:“Hey, um you guys didn’t replace my trackpad again. Why?”

Apple:“The Techs can’t really do anything about it because it is a cosmetic issue. If you are having an actual reproducible problem because of the trackpad malfunctioning, we can replace it.”

(the muffled sound of my head exploding can be heard on their end.)

Me:“Well, that isn’t what you told me before. It isn’t a cosmetic issue though. It actually effects my pointer. I mean, a missing key is a ‘cosmetic issue’, but it really hinders your computer usage.”

Apple:“We can’t just tell the Techs to replace a part. We tell them the issue and then they decided how to fix it.”

Me:“Well the issue is the trackpad is worn. You can fix it by replacing the trackpad.”

(imagine an hour going by with this same crap being said over and over. Finally, my genius argument prevails)

Me:“Ok, I’ve come up with a reproducible test you can write down in your notes for the Techs. Place the cursor in the far left middle of the screen. Run your finger along the top (not worn) part of the trackpad to move it to the right. It moves almost all the way across the screen. Put your finger in the middle right of the trackpad and run it back left. The pointer doesn’t get 3/4s of the way to where it started. There is the problem.”

Apple:“Ok, I’ll send you a box!”

YES! Victory! When I get my computer back I have a brand new trackpad, button, and top case. Unfortunately the button is lopsided. The left side is a little below the top case and the right side is above the case (where it should be). So guess what? Back to the phones.

I’m actually now just waiting on the computer to get back. I have this strange feeling they are going to put my old trackpad back in it for a good laugh. My friend sent his iBook into Apple 4 times and got a shuffle for his troubles…what do I get? Well, a new trackpad, button, and top case…that’s what.

Update: I got it back! Everything is working great…