diff -up old/pathauto.inc new/pathauto.inc
--- old/pathauto.inc	2007-08-26 09:55:23.000000000 -0700
+++ new/pathauto.inc	2007-08-26 09:57:32.000000000 -0700
@@ -156,6 +156,9 @@ function pathauto_cleanstring($string) {
  *   The alias that was created
  */
 function pathauto_create_alias($module, $op, $placeholders, $src, $type = NULL) {
+// Proceed, unless user opts for a manual alias.
+if ($_POST['pathauto']) { // Should probably use form_values rather than _POST. Not sure how.
+
   if (($op != 'bulkupdate') and variable_get('pathauto_verbose', FALSE)) {
     $verbose = TRUE;
   } 
@@ -241,6 +244,7 @@ function pathauto_create_alias($module, 
 
   return $alias;
 }
+}
 
 /**
  * Verifies if the given path is a valid menu callback.
diff -up old/pathauto.module new/pathauto.module
--- old/pathauto.module	2007-08-26 09:55:37.000000000 -0700
+++ new/pathauto.module	2007-08-26 09:51:35.000000000 -0700
@@ -349,21 +349,25 @@ function pathauto_nodeapi(&$node, $op, $
 /**
  * Implementation of hook_form_alter().
  * 
- * A helpful hint to the users with access to alias creation (pathauto
- * will be invisible to other users). Inserted into the path module's
- * fieldset in the node form
+ * This allows alias creators to override Pathauto and specify their
+ * own aliases (Pathauto will be invisible to other users). Inserted
+ * into the path module's fieldset in the node form.
  */
 function pathauto_form_alter($formid, &$form) {
-  if (isset($form['#attributes']['id']) && ($form['#attributes']['id'] == 'node-form')) {
+  if (isset($form['#id']) && ($form['#id'] == 'node-form')) {
     if (user_access('create url aliases')) {
-      $output .= t('An alias will be automatically generated from the title and other node attributes, in addition to any alias manually provided above.');
+      $output .= t('An alias will be generated for you. If you wish to create your own alias below, untick this option.');
       if (user_access('administer pathauto')) {
-        $output .= t(' To control the format of the generated aliases, see the <a href="admin/settings/pathauto">pathauto settings</a>.');
+        $output .= t(' To control the format of the generated aliases, see the <a href="/admin/settings/pathauto">Pathauto settings</a>.');
       }
     }
     if ($output) {
-      $form['path']['pathauto'] = array('#type' => 'item',
-        '#description' => $output);
+      $form['path']['pathauto'] = array('#type' => 'checkbox',
+        '#title' => t('Automatic alias'),
+        '#default_value' => TRUE,
+        '#description' => $output,
+        '#weight' => 0
+      );
     }
   }
 }