XPS line is going, going,....

On Thu, 15 May 2008 10:25:26 -0400, "BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:

>In news:OZOdne8WYufi3rHVnZ2dnUVZ_siknZ2d@giganews.com ,
>Timothy Drouillard typed on Thu, 15 May 2008 10:06:40 -0400:
>> "Tom Scales" <tjscales@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:84BCCE917EAF43FEA4028E46373B4FDD@M2010...
>>> Most computers don't. I don't think I've had a Dell with one for
>>> awhile. It's a legacy port -- dead,dead,dead
>>
>> The Optiplex 330's we bought a couple of months ago still had a
>> parallel port on it to my surprise and delight when it came to
>> replacing a secretary's PC that had a Deskjet 950 attached to it.
>
>They sell USB to serial and parallel adapters. I have used them before
>and they work fine most of the time. :-D
>
>--
>Bill

Also many docking stations still have legacy ports for those who use a
laptop.

wm_walsh@hotmail.com wrote:
> Hi!
>
>> Most computers don't. I don't think I've had a Dell with one for
>> awhile. It's a legacy port -- dead,dead,dead
>
> But should it be?
>
> I realize the serial, parallel, PS/2 and to a lesser extent 15-pin
> analog VGA ports are old news. There is something to be said for each
> connector being unique, however. I'm one of those types that reaches
> behind the computer to plug or unplug something without looking at it.
> This is where the older style ports and cables have an advantage. I
> can tell them apart by feel. (Wow. I'm not sure I should admit to
> that. It might mean I spend too much time computing.)

But all those different connectors/standards were a nightmare to support.

> Give me that any day over fifteen identical USB cables. (Went for the
> keyboard, got a memory card reader instead...oops...)

Sounds like an argument for better cable management, not a critique fo
the technology.

> Every motherboard still includes a super I/O chip (because it does
> other things, such as control fan speeds. And so far, every one of
> these still has a complete implementation of the legacy
> ports...leaving the only expense as connectors and a tiny bit of
> support circuitry. I guess that's just too expensive to keep adding to
> new products, however...
>
> William

Hi!

> > Give me that any day over fifteen identical USB cables. (Went for the
> > keyboard, got a memory card reader instead...oops...)
>
> Sounds like an argument for better cable management, not a critique fo
> the technology.

I'm not sure how, and that wasn't my intention. Even if I bothered to get
all the cables into neat little bundles (or put them in those tube things
that I've seen being sold for the purpose) USB cables are all just about the
same. Some are different colors and others are different thicknesses. None
of these factors, however, make for cables that are easily identified the
first time around when you can't see them. There is, after all, quite a bit
of difference between a PS/2 keyboard connector and a parallel printer
cable!

I've also never quite managed to acquire the "knack" of inserting USB cables
right side up the first time. No other cables give me that problem.

William

On Sat, 17 May 2008 00:09:40 GMT, "William R. Walsh"
<newsgroups1@idontwantjunqueemail.walshcomptech.co m> wrote:

>Hi!
>
>> > Give me that any day over fifteen identical USB cables. (Went for the
>> > keyboard, got a memory card reader instead...oops...)
>>
>> Sounds like an argument for better cable management, not a critique fo
>> the technology.
>
>I'm not sure how, and that wasn't my intention. Even if I bothered to get
>all the cables into neat little bundles (or put them in those tube things
>that I've seen being sold for the purpose) USB cables are all just about the
>same. Some are different colors and others are different thicknesses. None
>of these factors, however, make for cables that are easily identified the
>first time around when you can't see them. There is, after all, quite a bit
>of difference between a PS/2 keyboard connector and a parallel printer
>cable!
>
>I've also never quite managed to acquire the "knack" of inserting USB cables
>right side up the first time. No other cables give me that problem.
>
>William

Hi William,

Some things that might be useful for your USB cables:

- You can get "extensions" for ports on the back so you can plug and
unplug without having to go behind the computer.

- You could use a USB hub that's in an accessible location.

- You can get address labels and label each end of all power adapters
and USB cables (and ethernet cables). Or you can get a labeller like
a Brother labeller. They are very inexpensive now. It's a hassle at
least for my version because it's hard to get the backing off of it.

I have about 1/3 of my cables labelled. One of these days I am going
to take a few hours and label them all.

I also have a lot of power adapters that I don't know what they belong
to. If I were more diligent about labelling them, I wouldn't have the
big plastic crate with a ton of cables, etc...

Don't feel like the lone ranger! Odds are I should get it correct 50% of
the time but I know its much less than that!

"William R. Walsh" <newsgroups1@idontwantjunqueemail.walshcomptech.co m>
wrote in message news:8npXj.166968$yE1.70048@attbi_s21...
> Hi!
>
> I've also never quite managed to acquire the "knack" of inserting USB
> cables
> right side up the first time. No other cables give me that problem.
>
> William
>
>

Hi!

> - You can get "extensions" for ports on the back so you can
> plug and unplug without having to go behind the computer.
> - You could use a USB hub that's in an accessible location.

I did actually do this. My Dim8300 (and most other computers) are "flood
proofed" after a hard lesson. As such, cable extenders are a necessity. I
put a USB hub on my desk and that certainly helped with some things.

It wouldn't make too much difference, though. If I unplug the cables from
the computer, chances are I'm going to unplug the extenders. :-) This is
because I am probably taking the computer outside to clean it.

> - You can get address labels and label each end of all power
> adapters and USB cables (and ethernet cables). Or you can
> get a labeller like a Brother labeller. They are very inexpensive
> now. It's a hassle at least for my version because it's hard to
> get the backing off of it.

Oh, if I were only more organized. (But I know that I'm not going to be, and
no amount of talking about it will improve things.) I actually do have a
labeler, and most of my network cables are labeled (they have to be given
the number of different speeds and technologies running across them--some
are Fast Evilnet, some are regular, some are Token Ring...). I don't
know...there's some reason in my mind why I don't want to do so. (Right now
I don't need to. All my current computers have legacy ports.)

More often than not, I can't find the labeler itself. I dug it up the other
day and was surprised to see that it had good batteries in it!

Thanks for the suggestions. Whether or not I'll get around to doing anything
with them remains to be seen. ;-)

William
--
Brought to you by an IBM PS/2 9585-0XF "Clarus"
Intel 486DX4/100, 2GB HDD, 64MB RAM S/N 23HD700

William R. Walsh wrote:
> Hi!
>
>>> Give me that any day over fifteen identical USB cables. (Went for the
>>> keyboard, got a memory card reader instead...oops...)
>> Sounds like an argument for better cable management, not a critique fo
>> the technology.
>
> I'm not sure how, and that wasn't my intention. Even if I bothered to get
> all the cables into neat little bundles (or put them in those tube things
> that I've seen being sold for the purpose) USB cables are all just about the
> same. Some are different colors and others are different thicknesses. None
> of these factors, however, make for cables that are easily identified the
> first time around when you can't see them. There is, after all, quite a bit
> of difference between a PS/2 keyboard connector and a parallel printer
> cable!

I was thinking specifically of marking/tagging the ends of USB cables so
you know which is going where (it can and has been a nightmare to keep
them sorted out).

> I've also never quite managed to acquire the "knack" of inserting USB cables
> right side up the first time. No other cables give me that problem.

One side of a USB connector has the USB symbol - note which way that
faces when you're making connections (plus, there are only 2 choices).

journey wrote:
> On Sat, 17 May 2008 00:09:40 GMT, "William R. Walsh"
> <newsgroups1@idontwantjunqueemail.walshcomptech.co m> wrote:
>
>> Hi!
>>
>>>> Give me that any day over fifteen identical USB cables. (Went for the
>>>> keyboard, got a memory card reader instead...oops...)
>>> Sounds like an argument for better cable management, not a critique fo
>>> the technology.
>> I'm not sure how, and that wasn't my intention. Even if I bothered to get
>> all the cables into neat little bundles (or put them in those tube things
>> that I've seen being sold for the purpose) USB cables are all just about the
>> same. Some are different colors and others are different thicknesses. None
>> of these factors, however, make for cables that are easily identified the
>> first time around when you can't see them. There is, after all, quite a bit
>> of difference between a PS/2 keyboard connector and a parallel printer
>> cable!
>>
>> I've also never quite managed to acquire the "knack" of inserting USB cables
>> right side up the first time. No other cables give me that problem.
>>
>> William
>
> Hi William,
>
> Some things that might be useful for your USB cables:
>
> - You can get "extensions" for ports on the back so you can plug and
> unplug without having to go behind the computer.
>
> - You could use a USB hub that's in an accessible location.
>
> - You can get address labels and label each end of all power adapters
> and USB cables (and ethernet cables). Or you can get a labeller like
> a Brother labeller. They are very inexpensive now. It's a hassle at
> least for my version because it's hard to get the backing off of it.
>
> I have about 1/3 of my cables labelled. One of these days I am going
> to take a few hours and label them all.
>
> I also have a lot of power adapters that I don't know what they belong
> to. If I were more diligent about labelling them, I wouldn't have the
> big plastic crate with a ton of cables, etc...

Excellent point re: marking power adapters as well. Many power adapters
don't have the name of the company whose device you bought. I print a
label either by hand or printer, stick it on the adapter, then cover it
with wide, clear packing tape so it'll stay legible (I have *lots* of
uses for that kind of tape).

Most of my USB cables are either color coded or marked with a letter at
both ends (I don't have anywhere near 26 cables in use, so this system
works great). This also avoids the need to relabel cables if you
relocate a printer and need a longer/shorter cable.