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computer

Apple Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard Dvorak Hacking

It’s very easy to switch around the keys on Apple’s current generation of wireless bluetooth keyboard. The first time doing this hack I only had one “close call”, but know that I know how to get the keys off safely it’s simple, fast and easy. I used a couple razor blades to pop off the keys, but a very small screwdriver would work just as well and be much safer.

The keys are best removed by lifting the cap key from the top left or top right corners. The plastic mechanics beneath the key move analogously to a cherry picker, and you interfere with them less by lifting the top corners of the key.

Once you’re done, the only drawback to your new sleek Dvorak keyboard is the lack of nubs on the U and H keys. Very carefully dab a small drop of superglue on them to address the issue, and enjoy!

(Sorry for the lack of pictures … when I figure out where I put them I’ll update this post. Andy Skelton has some pictures in a similar post.)

Categories
computer

Major Seagate/Maxtor Fail

drive_failIt’s Friday, 10pm, and I’m not a happy camper. This picture is me holding a pile of ordinary hard drives I keep on my home desk. They are cycling backup drives and are not in any way frequently used. Four are Seagate Barracudas–one of which I’ve already had replaced–and the fifth a Maxtor DiamondMax. The oldest of the bunch appears to be from 2002 and all are PATA 200-250GB models. 

I’m unhappy because I picked them up tonight to run a very infrequent backup of all my household data: over a TiB worth while requiring the use of all of them for a complete home backup. Much too my dismay, I won’t be running any backups this weekend.

Failure rate: 100%. (5 out of 5 failures.)

I haven’t been this unhappy with a manufacturer since the last of my IBM DeathStars failed around 2003. Fortunately all the Seagate models are still under warrantee, but such performance is still disheartening and frustrating.

What’s happened to quality drive manufacturing in the 21st century? Some of the ~10MB hard drives in my 486-era machines easily lasted 10+ years, but a single drive these days lasting over 3 seems ever more scarce. Sigh.