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They could, at the very least, enforce color coding. Colorblind people would still be left high and dry, but with the status quo everybody is up shit creek.

They could, at the very least, enforce color coding. Colorblind people would still be left high and dry, but with the status quo everybody is up shit creek. > How does it help when someone inevitably buys the USB-C cable with shape y when they need USB-C cable with shape x? [...] They still have to take it back to the store. It helps because they know they have to go back to the store, and aren't left wondering if the problem is actually with themselves somehow using their computer wrong. As I mentioned earlier: "Some USB-C cables not working with some USB-C sockets leaves users feeling gaslit."

Klinky 5y ago
USB3 did have blue color coding on the plastic interior of the connector. That doesn't exist on USB-C. You'd have to color-code the metallic connector or the connector housing. Forcing a color-coding scheme on the connector housing would clash with branding, so you'd likely end up with companies ignoring the color coding. People will also ignore the color coding even if it existed. Counterfeiters would add the color to add legitimacy to their incompatible products. Color coding would not physically prevent you from plugging the cable in. The people who feel gaslit over a USB-C cable not working would probably also feel gaslit over buying the "wrong USB C cable", because they bought a "USB C cable" and "USB C should just work, why do I have to remember which of 12 different connectors my computer uses, I thought the point of USB C was a unified connector".
- wearywanderer 5y ago
  > The people who feel gaslit over a USB-C cable not working would probably also feel gaslit over buying the "wrong USB C cable", They might feel deceived or mislead by the packaging, but they won't have to wonder if they are somehow using their computer wrong. Particularly for people who lack confidence with computers, this means a lot.
  - Klinky 5y ago
    While I can understand the desire to make it easier for non-savvy computer users, I don't think it's worth destroying the technical gains USB-C brings with it. Again, we've had non-savvy users hook stuff up wrong or destroy things even when ports had differentiated shapes. A software solution to identify the incompatibility and notify the user seems more practical than redesigning the connector for every evolution of USB-C.

Klinky 5y ago

USB3 did have blue color coding on the plastic interior of the connector. That doesn't exist on USB-C. You'd have to color-code the metallic connector or the connector housing. Forcing a color-coding scheme on the connector housing would clash with branding, so you'd likely end up with companies ignoring the color coding. People will also ignore the color coding even if it existed. Counterfeiters would add the color to add legitimacy to their incompatible products. Color coding would not physically prevent you from plugging the cable in. The people who feel gaslit over a USB-C cable not working would probably also feel gaslit over buying the "wrong USB C cable", because they bought a "USB C cable" and "USB C should just work, why do I have to remember which of 12 different connectors my computer uses, I thought the point of USB C was a unified connector".

wearywanderer 5y ago
> The people who feel gaslit over a USB-C cable not working would probably also feel gaslit over buying the "wrong USB C cable", They might feel deceived or mislead by the packaging, but they won't have to wonder if they are somehow using their computer wrong. Particularly for people who lack confidence with computers, this means a lot.
- Klinky 5y ago
  While I can understand the desire to make it easier for non-savvy computer users, I don't think it's worth destroying the technical gains USB-C brings with it. Again, we've had non-savvy users hook stuff up wrong or destroy things even when ports had differentiated shapes. A software solution to identify the incompatibility and notify the user seems more practical than redesigning the connector for every evolution of USB-C.