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The real Ajay Bhatt, co-inventor of the USB port

engadget.com

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Re: The real Ajay Bhatt, co-inventor of the USB port

#31

Post by cnvogel »

weaksauce wrote: post #13
codexon wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm surprised someone voted you down and that you are still at 1 point. USB 1.0 seems like one of the many interfaces that will eventually end up obsolete just like ISA PCI AGP PCMIA etc... I really don't see anything technically superior about USB (feel free to correct me). The main reason it won out over Firewire was of course Intel and Microsoft backing, and that it was in the sweet spot for the price/feature trad…

It was cheaper because it was not proprietary like the firewire port. I think that was the only issue really. Firewire has a smaller protocol overhead so at a given bit rate the throughput was faster. Did the original firewire spec allow for multiple devices on the same bus or was that included in a later revision?

The physical data interface of USB is simpler (only two signalling wires, D+, D- instead of the two differential pairs for firewire). Supply of power to the devices is simpler (+5V instead of >20V with firewire, which needs an additional DC/DC converter on the device). For most primitive low-speed devices (mice, keyboards, toy rocket launchers) the data transfer implementation is simpler (see e.g. the bit-banging software-only V-USB implementation for microcontrollers).

So on the low-performance side, the advantage is clear. And end-users like the simplicity of having the same physical port for all their computer peripherals (which can use low- (While I personally think that Firewire is the more elegant, better performing and more flexible communication technology, I can see why USB surpassed it in the marketplace.

Re: The real Ajay Bhatt, co-inventor of the USB port

#32

Post by Legion »

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #28
Andys wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its an advertisement, a lower grade of information than even a puff piece or glossy brochure. For TV advertisements, you need people who can act. Engineers aren't actors. Save the real engineers for informational pieces like this interview.

Most people are able to act as themselves quite competently! For a TV ad featuring a person as themself the requirements are that you are that person ...

Unless you're under the impression that Ajay really does strut around Intel to the sound of screaming girls, "acting as themselves" wouldn't really be what they'd need to do in the commercial.

Re: The real Ajay Bhatt, co-inventor of the USB port

#33

Post by dtap »

whye wrote: post #4
ShabbyDoo wrote: post #3

That Conan (a) felt like Ajay would be relevant for a general audience, and (b) didn't bring him on for the sole purpose of humiliating him speaks well for the acceptance of engineering in US society. A decade ago, he would have been reduced to caricature -- "nerd" glasses and the like.

What I don't understand is why Intel didn't use the real Ajay in their ads. Here's someone who they are supposedly honoring as a rock star, and yet when it comes to the ads, instead of using him, they hire an actor. How big of an Intel star can you be, if you aren't good enough to appear on TV?

My dad works for Intel and can vouch for his rock star status. Intel makes money by selling chips and standardization makes adoption go through the roof. They have bankrolled many things, to then open them to all (USB, moblin, WiMAX).

USB certainly was a huge step and made them a lot of money, much of which Ajay is responsible for. This makes him a rock star.

Re: The real Ajay Bhatt, co-inventor of the USB port

#34

Post by anonjon »

wooby wrote: post #27
codexon wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm surprised someone voted you down and that you are still at 1 point. USB 1.0 seems like one of the many interfaces that will eventually end up obsolete just like ISA PCI AGP PCMIA etc... I really don't see anything technically superior about USB (feel free to correct me). The main reason it won out over Firewire was of course Intel and Microsoft backing, and that it was in the sweet spot for the price/feature trad…

Won't every interface end up obsolete? Seems like the only interfaces with real staying power are serial and mini phonoplug.

Don't forget the nipple. Nipples aren't obsolete yet.

Re: The real Ajay Bhatt, co-inventor of the USB port

#35

Post by chrisbolt »

pmorici wrote: post #14
whye wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I don't understand is why Intel didn't use the real Ajay in their ads. Here's someone who they are supposedly honoring as a rock star, and yet when it comes to the ads, instead of using him, they hire an actor. How big of an Intel star can you be, if you aren't good enough to appear on TV?

The real Ajay's time is likely a lot more valuable than some random actor who does commercials. I other words he is probably too valuable to appear on TV. Think about it when it is all said and done the guy would have had to take at least a week away from his normal responsibilities when you include travel, filming time etc... Only B list celebrities play themselves on TV.

I other words he is probably too valuable to appear on TV.

Then what is he doing on Conan?

Re: The real Ajay Bhatt, co-inventor of the USB port

#36

Post by pmorici »

chrisbolt wrote: post #35
pmorici wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The real Ajay's time is likely a lot more valuable than some random actor who does commercials. I other words he is probably too valuable to appear on TV. Think about it when it is all said and done the guy would have had to take at least a week away from his normal responsibilities when you include travel, filming time etc... Only B list celebrities play themselves on TV.

I other words he is probably too valuable to appear on TV. Then what is he doing on Conan?

Conan interviews real people, an actor wouldn't cut it.
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