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"USB-C" -> Good for consumer, I believe With the same logic EU had tried to make Micro USB mandatory for everyone, it was a very poorly executed charging port

"USB-C" -> Good for consumer, I believe With the same logic EU had tried to make Micro USB mandatory for everyone, it was a very poorly executed charging port which would break often and easily. If it was made industry standard back then, USB-C would have probably never come along or would have taken much much longer. The road to hell is paved with good intention, I doubt any decent government (which EU is) would pass laws that is bad for its people in short term. It’s just that these burden some regulations backfire in the long term. The problems with GDPR and Cookie Banner are well documented, it puts EU startups at a disadvantage because of having to pass all regulations before they can innovate and get up from the ground. Regulations like this should not apply to startups, the harm done to economy is far more than harm done to the public. Or else , EU citizens will forever be left using American Software, driving Japanese cars (EU car makers are in decline), use Chinese and American Robots (Largest German Robot company (KUKA Robotics) sold to China), use Chinese Solar Panels, Korean Phones, etc. I get what you’re saying, it all sounds sweet and good on paper. But it ends up being a race where brilliant european minds are running with 20kg weights on their shoes, while other major nations are supplying stimulants for their innovators to win the gold medal. It’s just the reality of what’s happening, if it continues EU will die a slow and painful death (Saying the truth as a well wisher for europe, they are pro-consumer in great many ways, but they are over regulating and hurting their next generation)

hyperman1 2y ago
The EU tried making micro USB mandatory only after first asking the industry to cooperate and self-standardize. Legislation was the very last thing tried. After years of Apple stalling not cooperating, the EU got fed up, and forced them. GDPR was similar: Only after years of abuse by adtech etc.., the regulator took action. Maybe this is a communication mismatch between US and EU culture? EU companies tend to take the hint from the EU and do something before they are forced. US companies say: ...but there is no law forcing me? Then act surprised when said law is written.
bitwize 2y ago
> If it was made industry standard back then, USB-C would have probably never come along or would have taken much much longer. USB-C is a clusterfuck of a connector, and I'm not just talking about the various voltages and how using the wrong cable can fry your equipment. I'm talking about the physical connector itself. See, the USB-C port has a shroud around the outside and a "tongue" in the middle where all the contacts are. The USB-C plug has a shroud which fits into the port's shroud, but inside the plug's shroud are all the contacts which align with the contacts on the tongue. This tongue is fragile, necessitating replacement of the whole port if it breaks or is otherwise damaged. If I am not very careful with my phone's USB-C connector, it can get flaky and make even charging (let alone data transfer) difficult and annoying within a year. Do you want to see an example of a good design? Look at Apple's Lightning connector, where the fragile tongue is on the more easily replaceable plug, and the port is just the shroud. Meaning my wife just plugs or unplugs her iPhone all the time, never worrying about what kind of damage dirt or lint might cause if it gets into the port or whether inserting or removing the plug too hard might permanently harm the port. It Just Works, every time. Mandating USB-C just made the connector situation worse for everybody. Mandating an open standard doesn't really help much if it's a shitty standard. It just squelches any improvements a company might make.
- 6510 2y ago
  I don't have an opinion on this. The female plug always holds the power and the male taps into it. Doing it the other way around is unusual, you get a naked male plug with power on it just dangling around.
  - Brian_K_White 2y ago
    While true for clear one way connections, usbc is bi-directional or symmetrical. 1 Either side may provide power. 2 usbc power delivery requires a fancy communication and management chip, and there is no power until after a handshake has been negotiated. So in that case a lightning style cable could be ok. (besides, even with plain usb2, lightening already existed for years without a problem) But while lightning-style may be good, F lightening specifically. The design was good for the reasons stated. Put the weak points in the more disposable part of the system. But for standards purposes I am not interested in any good design that anyone owns. All in all, lightning is not good. If it's good but you can't use it, then it's not good.
    - 6510 2y ago
      I cant help but think we are stuck with excuses not to have simple replaceable batteries.
- account42 2y ago
  MicroUSB was even worse though in my experience - I managed to break the charging port on ALL my MicroUSB phones after enough time but my USB C phones so far have not yet encountered that failure mode.

hyperman1 2y ago

The EU tried making micro USB mandatory only after first asking the industry to cooperate and self-standardize. Legislation was the very last thing tried. After years of Apple stalling not cooperating, the EU got fed up, and forced them. GDPR was similar: Only after years of abuse by adtech etc.., the regulator took action. Maybe this is a communication mismatch between US and EU culture? EU companies tend to take the hint from the EU and do something before they are forced. US companies say: ...but there is no law forcing me? Then act surprised when said law is written.

bitwize 2y ago

> If it was made industry standard back then, USB-C would have probably never come along or would have taken much much longer. USB-C is a clusterfuck of a connector, and I'm not just talking about the various voltages and how using the wrong cable can fry your equipment. I'm talking about the physical connector itself. See, the USB-C port has a shroud around the outside and a "tongue" in the middle where all the contacts are. The USB-C plug has a shroud which fits into the port's shroud, but inside the plug's shroud are all the contacts which align with the contacts on the tongue. This tongue is fragile, necessitating replacement of the whole port if it breaks or is otherwise damaged. If I am not very careful with my phone's USB-C connector, it can get flaky and make even charging (let alone data transfer) difficult and annoying within a year. Do you want to see an example of a good design? Look at Apple's Lightning connector, where the fragile tongue is on the more easily replaceable plug, and the port is just the shroud. Meaning my wife just plugs or unplugs her iPhone all the time, never worrying about what kind of damage dirt or lint might cause if it gets into the port or whether inserting or removing the plug too hard might permanently harm the port. It Just Works, every time. Mandating USB-C just made the connector situation worse for everybody. Mandating an open standard doesn't really help much if it's a shitty standard. It just squelches any improvements a company might make.

6510 2y ago
I don't have an opinion on this. The female plug always holds the power and the male taps into it. Doing it the other way around is unusual, you get a naked male plug with power on it just dangling around.
- Brian_K_White 2y ago
  While true for clear one way connections, usbc is bi-directional or symmetrical. 1 Either side may provide power. 2 usbc power delivery requires a fancy communication and management chip, and there is no power until after a handshake has been negotiated. So in that case a lightning style cable could be ok. (besides, even with plain usb2, lightening already existed for years without a problem) But while lightning-style may be good, F lightening specifically. The design was good for the reasons stated. Put the weak points in the more disposable part of the system. But for standards purposes I am not interested in any good design that anyone owns. All in all, lightning is not good. If it's good but you can't use it, then it's not good.
  - 6510 2y ago
    I cant help but think we are stuck with excuses not to have simple replaceable batteries.
account42 2y ago
MicroUSB was even worse though in my experience - I managed to break the charging port on ALL my MicroUSB phones after enough time but my USB C phones so far have not yet encountered that failure mode.