Chuck Norris-ing a .pkg installer into submission (Updated 28-11-2014)

Or: How to install Legacy Mac OS X SDKs for Xcode

As you explore open-source Mac software, you will eventually have to build for older versions of OS X.

But you will need older OS X SDKs.

The solution? Roundhouse-kick an old, defenseless Xcode installer into a bloody mess, of course! Then you can find all its subinstallers—including the legacy SDKs!

Fixing a broken medium-current power brick

Some time ago, I bought a 7-port USB hub from Plugable, and it came with a pretty decent power supply. Most cheap hubs provide a correspondingly cheap wall-wart which will only give half an amp of current. But this one from Plugable was a proper beast that gave me 4 whole amps of current! Wow! Until it broke after 6 months of use.

Plugable was really on the ball, and immediately sent me a new power supply. So props to them. But I was curious about what went wrong in the faulty supply, so I popped it open. Here are the pics:

On the operating table.