He should patent this.
An USB plug that goes both ways
91–100 of 138 posts
Re: An USB plug that goes both ways
#92Who still uses USB regularly enough to feel this is a problem? Memory sticks are irrelevant in todays Gb ethernet as standard world, printers are wireless or networked, scanners don't exist for all intents and purposes, mice and keyboards are bluetooth... the list goes on!
On average, I use a USB connector about 3 times a day. I have yet to see a Bluetooth device that isn't a phone (I literally don't know a single person who has a Bluetooth controller that isn't one of those never-used phone features, nor anyone who actually owns a Bluetooth gadget, and the only ones I've even seen for sale are headsets for - you guessed it - phones).
I stopped using bluetooth headphones. However I'm very happy with the bluetooth option on my stereo, that allows me to broadcast really loud music from my Macbook.
Re: An USB plug that goes both ways
#93Earlier quoted context omitted.
That reminds me of a saying that we used religiously back in the Navy: "50/50/90". If you have a 50/50 chance of making a correct decision, you'll get it wrong 90% of the time.
I watch this in action every time I ask my four year-old which is his right or left hand. Poor little dude gets it wrong almost every time.
How cute :)
Btw, to help him learn you could attach a bracelet to his left or his right hand. Give him a landmark that he can recognize.
Re: An USB plug that goes both ways
#94Earlier quoted context omitted.
I watch this in action every time I ask my four year-old which is his right or left hand. Poor little dude gets it wrong almost every time.
How cute :) Btw, to help him learn you could attach a bracelet to his left or his right hand. Give him a landmark that he can recognize.
Put your hands in front of you, palms facing outwards. Your left hand is where thumb and index finger form an L. (Or if he's into cars, explain it via `where the cars drive'.)
Re: An USB plug that goes both ways
#95Earlier quoted context omitted.
How cute :) Btw, to help him learn you could attach a bracelet to his left or his right hand. Give him a landmark that he can recognize.
Put your hands in front of you, palms facing outwards. Your left hand is where thumb and index finger form an L. (Or if he's into cars, explain it via `where the cars drive'.)
I learned which is which with a visual image.
When I was little, I always stood in the kitchen on the same chair. The left wall was dark, the right wall had a window illuminating it. Even now whenever I'm distracted and can't answer out of reflex, that image pops into my head :-)
Re: An USB plug that goes both ways
#96Earlier quoted context omitted.
"First we're gonna recess 'em, then we're gonna emboss 'em, then we're gonna mate 'em!" Designers should look to nature. Nature has certainly created some wonderful symmetries, but a symmetry which would impose hidden and unnecessary constraints on alignment during the mating process is not one of them!
This is probably the only chance I will ever get to link a page containing the words "duck penis" on HN, and you bet I will take it: http://scienceblogs.com/neurotopia/2010/01/friday_weird_scie...
Evolution can lead to really strange solutions...
Re: An USB plug that goes both ways
#97Earlier quoted context omitted.
PS/2 connectors were actually more usable because you could apply light pressure and then without looking, spin it from side to side, and then push in when it "docked".
This sounds like it's more difficult
Not really, cause with a PS/2 connector you know you're probably inserting it wrong. With a USB-connector you think you're right, but you're not.
Re: An USB plug that goes both ways
#98Earlier quoted context omitted.
The Microsoft keyboard and mouse I have, not only have the USB symbol embossed, they also sport a raised dot to help identify the correct side. Wish more manufacturers did that. On the other hand, PC manufacturers have defeated that purpose by creating vertically aligned USB ports. Which side is the right side now? Just goes to say that intelligent specs are not enough. You can't hand a brilliant spec to a monkey and…
What is a 'vertically aligned USB port?' For that matter, what side of a computer is 'up?' Nothing is stopping anyone from re-orienting their computer in from the way that the manufacturer intended. Not to mention computer cases that are designed to be able to sit both ways. I think that the take-away here is that you don't design a connector that depends on the orientation of the device.
I have a pretty good idea what he means because my computer is like that.
My tower has all the USB ports set up so the long side is vertical. The tower is definitely not made to be laid on its side.
I've cursed in frustration more than once because I couldn't see the place I was trying to plug a USB cable very well and I spent far too long reaching in uncomfortable ways trying to figure out which way the damned cable would go in there without breaking things.
The worst is that a USB cable will sort of fit into an Ethernet port. The built-in Ethernet ports are right next to the USB ports. Lovely, no?
Re: An USB plug that goes both ways
#99Earlier quoted context omitted.
That reminds me of a saying that we used religiously back in the Navy: "50/50/90". If you have a 50/50 chance of making a correct decision, you'll get it wrong 90% of the time.
I watch this in action every time I ask my four year-old which is his right or left hand. Poor little dude gets it wrong almost every time.
I still get it wrong most of the time.
Weirdly, I know my Port from my Starboard, so that lesson was wired into me properly.
Re: An USB plug that goes both ways
#100Earlier quoted context omitted.
How cute :) Btw, to help him learn you could attach a bracelet to his left or his right hand. Give him a landmark that he can recognize.
Put your hands in front of you, palms facing outwards. Your left hand is where thumb and index finger form an L. (Or if he's into cars, explain it via `where the cars drive'.)
Put your hands in front of you, palms facing inwards. Where the thumb and index finger form an L, that's your right hand.
And of course, cars where I grew up (Australia) drove on the opposite side of the road to the cars on tv (mostly US shows and movies).
I think these are both great ways to help teach kids left and right; I just like to point out the flaws since neither way helped me (and I still have to think about it). Of course, I'm far more messed up than most kids will ever hope to be!