09-17-2007, 07:50 PM

*This has probably been discussed before, but I searched and I couldn't find anything about it.*

Is there any way to make the backlit keyboard stay lit all the time? It probably sounds stupid, but I really love the way it looks with the keyboard lit. I know it would use more battery that way, but is it possible?

Thanks,
Damien

09-17-2007, 08:04 PM

I suppose you could put something over your Ambient Light Sensor (like a piece of tape). It might not be the best choice, but it would get the job done.

*I don't recommend this, btw.

09-18-2007, 09:59 AM

For anyone else who was interested in this, I found this answer posted in another thread today. Clicky

09-18-2007, 11:18 PM

Is there any risk associated with doing this? Is it possible for the lighting mechanism to "burn out"?

09-18-2007, 11:34 PM

I'd want it to be lit at all times it's plugged into the magsafe and set to be normal when unplugged. I don't get one till december

09-19-2007, 12:06 AM

While there is no setting in Lab Tick to have it automatically change based on the power supply, that's how I used it today and how I plan on using it in the future. Actually, when it is on battery, I just move the slider down to "off".

asdf.jpg

09-19-2007, 12:34 AM

The lighting appears to be LEDs. LEDs are like fluorescent tubes... they're very bright for a fairly short period of time and then they gradually get dimmer as they wear out. If they were wired properly with current limiting resistors and stuff they ought to last for 50-100k hours +. You're putting more wear on them, but I think by the time you have a problem the laptop will be uselessly old. Assuming the system was built properly, that is.

09-19-2007, 01:05 AM

And if it wasn't built properly and it began to malfunction within 3 years, it would be covered by applecare, right?

09-19-2007, 01:17 AM

Yep. Knowing some of the horror stories I've heard about Apple support (how true those are, I don't know though) it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to squirm out of it by saying that the application you linked above "significantly alters the function of the machine" or whatever the bs loophole line in their warranty says. But... back up the drive and format/reinstall before you send it in, and they'll never know it was installed, unless you sent them a copy of this thread with your computer...

09-19-2007, 02:34 AM

Just out of curiosity, are there traces left behind when you uninstall a program? What about if you delete a program using sudo?

09-19-2007, 02:47 AM

I have no idea, I'm a PC guy!


Seriously, I don't know. I know very little about Mac software. If the Mac's file system operates similarly to NTFS/FAT in the sense that neither of those file systems overwrite deleted data with new data, they just flag the "deleted" data as writeable, there will be evidence left, yes.

09-19-2007, 10:53 PM

you could try to secure delete, or even delete it, go to disk utility and there is and you can erase free space by writing one's and zero's over it up to 35 times (granted this takes time)