USB-C Was Supposed to Simplify Our Lives. Instead, It’s a Total Mess

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

Most of my gadgets are several years old before USB C became the "standard". I'm just not willing to purchase all new wires when there is a dongle that will let me utilize what I already have. But I only have the phone with a C plug, but only one cord for it.

That’s fair but it’s still not a fault of USB C. All your devices could have been made with future proofing in mind by not having one end of the wire stuck in it. Thus freeing you to simply use a cable with one USB type at one end and USB C at the other. Which is essentially how the dongles work anyway.

Many in fact do this and it’s just a matter of finding the right cords. Of course this then gives us the issue of facing just how many types of USB we’ve made over the years and how several are needless variations which don’t actually offer anything new from predecessors. Printers are imo notorious for this.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

That’s fair but it’s still not a fault of USB C. All your devices could have been made with future proofing in mind by not having one end of the wire stuck in it. Thus freeing you to simply use a cable with one USB type at one end and USB C at the other. Which is essentially how the dongles work anyway.

Many in fact do this and it’s just a matter of finding the right cords. Of course this then gives us the issue of facing just how many types of USB we’ve made over the years and how several are needless variations which don’t actually offer anything new from predecessors. Printers are imo notorious for this.

But if these accessories were made with a USB-C connector, then we'd still need an adapter to plug into a USB-A port. So yes, it is the fault of USB-C being a different shape for the computer side of things.

The solution is to make USB-A ports always the same side up and the connectors a different color on the up side.

[John F]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But if these accessories were made with a USB-C connector, then we'd still need an adapter to plug into a USB-A port. So yes, it is the fault of USB-C being a different shape for the computer side of things.

The solution is to make USB-A ports always the same side up and the connectors a different color on the up side.

And yet another change to the USB spec.

And I prefer some sort of tactile feedback. So we would need another USB change after yours.

[4691mls]

I like that USB-C is not directional so I don't have to worry about it. I can plug the charging cord into the phone in a dimly lit room without having to turn on bright lights to make sure which way the plug goes.

Currently my phone is my only USB-C device but I have adapters for when I need to plug it into other things.

[DiapDealer]

I was a little disappointed when recently building a new development PC that there seemed to be very few case options (that I could afford, or that weren't teeny-tiny) that offered usb-c on the front panel. They all seem to want to bury them on the back panel and stay with all usb-a on the front. Weird.

[salamanderjuice]

It's only recently that motherboards are even including front USB C headers for desktop PCs. On the AMD side of things at least none of motherboards I've looked at have had more than 1 USB C port on the back yet either.

I did recently get the only case I could find with a front panel USB C, the NZXT H510, a reasonable $90 CAD ATX case.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

I did recently get the only case I could find with a front panel USB C, the NZXT H510, a reasonable $90 CAD ATX case.

Interesting, thanks. I looked at some NZXTs, but apparently not well enough. I eventually went with an open-style case, and couldn't be happier. I'm not sure if I'll ever try to stuff everything into an enclosed box with my fat fingers ever again.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I like that USB-C is not directional so I don't have to worry about it. I can plug the charging cord into the phone in a dimly lit room without having to turn on bright lights to make sure which way the plug goes.

I just try one direction and, if that doesn't work, I flip it.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I just try one direction and, if that doesn't work, I flip it.

I have double sided cables - they fit everytimes.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The solution is to make USB-A ports always the same side up and the connectors a different color on the up side.

... and pray the ports are never mounted in a vertical orientation or needed by a blind person or in a dark room.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But if these accessories were made with a USB-C connector, then we'd still need an adapter to plug into a USB-A port. So yes, it is the fault of USB-C being a different shape for the computer side of things.

The solution is to make USB-A ports always the same side up and the connectors a different color on the up side.

Wait wait wait so first you’re complaining that laptops only have USB C ports now you’re complaining that if the devices we plug in to laptops only had USB C ports you’d need adapters to other types. Which is it Jon?

As always your solution ignores so many real world situations as to be irrelevant before it even enters a proof of concept phase.

Color blind people, visually impaired people, those with nerve damage in their fingers, ports in a given orientation to each other being too close due to device size, devices with a variable up rotation, just to name a few. And none of which apply to USB C which is always the right way around. In addition to the other benefits of USB C.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by haertig

... and pray the ports are never mounted in a vertical orientation or needed by a blind person or in a dark room.

I've plugged in a USB cable plenty of times going only by feel. So if I can do it, without seeing, I see no reason why a blind person cannot also do the same.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Wait wait wait so first you’re complaining that laptops only have USB C ports now you’re complaining that if the devices we plug in to laptops only had USB C ports you’d need adapters to other types. Which is it Jon?

I'm complaining that if we had peripherals being made more so with USB-C then we'd need an adapter going to USB-A. So really, there is no solution and USB-C is not a solution as much as a problem. If we had stuck with the USB-A style port, then there would be no problem as peripherals would fit the port.

[barryem]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The problem as pointed out is that we have all kinds of different USB-C ports with all kinds of different abilities. So it's hard to know at times what a given port can or cannot do.

That's progress. Things keep getting faster or more powerful. Look how many CPUs and OS's we have. How many cars. How many brands of shoes. It's how things grow in tech.

Barry

[haertig]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I'm complaining that if we had peripherals being made more so with USB-C then we'd need an adapter going to USB-A.

That's pretty obvious. When you have old stuff you're often going to need an adapter to connect it to new stuff. Similarly, if you want to plug a modern mouse into a computer that is so old that it only has PS/2 ports ... you're going to need an adapter.

I remember giving up an old car when leaded gasoline went away.

I remember saying goodbye (quite happily!) to single-ply toilet paper when two-ply came out.

Sometimes, it just works out better to upgrade. But you don't have to. Nobody is going to drag you kicking and screaming into a computer store and force you to upgrade your USB-A computer and USB-A peripherals. You can keep using that setup as long as you want. Sure, eventually you'll be left behind when you can't find parts anymore. Kind of like that car in your garage that requires leaded gasoline. But you can still make even that work, so USB-A should be perpetually available to you with a little effort and planning.

FWIW, I still have one old computer with a PATA hard disk in it. It sits in the basement unused, but it still booted and ran just fine when I tried it a year of so ago (out of curiosity). It didn't even have any USB ports on it.