I used to hate trackpads, too. I still hate Windows laptop trackpads. However, I've become a trackpad convert on my Mac. For general use, it's easier to move from keyboard to pad. The idea that the entire pad is a physical button was pure genius on Apple's part—the ease of tap-to-click, but it requires a firm push and gives tactile feedback. Windows laptop trackpads often get balky when my hands are moist, but Apple's pads, like the iPad, have no such problem. When you add in the multi-touch gestures, the Magic Trackpad makes the Magic Mouse seem like a useless toy. (The Magic Mouse seems particularly good at deciding you wanted to scroll when you were just resting your finger.) The glass surface of the modern pads make for effortless finger glides.

Fellow trackpad-haters, you've got to stop thinking of current Apple trackpads as trackpads. They're something new, and shouldn't be lumped in with what's come before.