4 ms·

I was always amazed that USB wasn't either dual sided or at least designed with a recognizable top and bottom (without having to look inside). Even micro-usb is

I was always amazed that USB wasn't either dual sided or at least designed with a recognizable top and bottom (without having to look inside). Even micro-usb isn't easily recognizable which direction it is supposed to go in. It's a small detail, but an important one. I completely disagree with everybody who raves about the importance of the mag-safe connector, I've never had a problem with the standard round port connector of my pc's, but this design is a huge improvement.

nnnnni 14y ago
Relevant SMBC: http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2388 http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2388 Also, I don't understand why people always applaud the use of micro-usb. I have NEVER seen a single plug that didn't lose its ability to hold onto the slot after a month or so.
chikei 14y ago
Actually they did, in USB 1.1 spec. 6.5.1: "The USB Icon is embossed, in a recessed area, on the topside of the USB plug. This provides easy user recognition and facilitates alignment during the mating process."
- tjoff 14y ago
  So... which side is the topside of the USB port? That might be easy to figure out on a laptop but on an AC-charger? A workstation? A lot of ports are sideways. And, the ports on my monitor are, by any conceivable scenario, rotated 180 degrees from what they should be (they are on the side and "up" in that scenario is facing away from me, towards the wall). Stuff like this requires consistency so that you can trust your instinct, USB have failed miserably in this regard.
  - sp332 14y ago
    The "top" is the part with a gap on the A end, and the narrow side on the B end.
  - ConstantineXVI 14y ago
    MiniUSB wasn't too bad; it's somewhat easy to figure out which end is up solely by touch. Not only is that nearly impossible with micro, OEM's can't seem to agree on "up". Samsung and Nokia goes with wide side down; HTC and Asus (on the N7, their other tablets use a custom dockplug) have wide side up. And just for fun, on the USB cable with my backup drive, WD decided to defy the spec and put their logo on the top side; and the USB logo on the bottom. And the Apple dockplug is even worse IMHO; besides looking near-identical on both sides, the cable with my iPad 3 printed the logo so lightly it's quicker to guess vs. trying to find it.
  - dsr_ 14y ago
    The microUSB ports on my Droids are USB-stamp away from the display. The ports on my Nook and Nexus are USB-stamp towards the display.
pwg 14y ago
> I completely disagree with everybody who raves about the importance of the mag-safe connector, I've never had a problem with the standard round port connector of my pc's The advantage to the mag-safe connector is not evident at first. It only becomes evident when one day you are using your laptop while it is connected to the power cable, and someone else trips over/steps on/moves a chair in a way that eventually yanks on the far end of the power cable. Only once you see that happen in real life (to yourself or someone else) do you truly appreciate the advantage of the mag-safe connector.
- nmcfarl 14y ago
  In 2002, a coworker who was late to a meeting and running through the office caught his leg on the non-MagSafe power cable for my iBook resulting in it slamming against a filing cabinet so hard that it both cracked the case, and started breifly, but literally, smoking. That was the end of that laptop. I firmly believe in MagSafe.
- ConstantineXVI 14y ago
  I've only ever had my magsafe pop off when I happen to pull it just a hair too far; but it's happily let me yank the laptop+cord off my desk a few times (thankfully, no damage)

nnnnni 14y ago

Relevant SMBC: http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2388 http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2388 Also, I don't understand why people always applaud the use of micro-usb. I have NEVER seen a single plug that didn't lose its ability to hold onto the slot after a month or so.

chikei 14y ago

Actually they did, in USB 1.1 spec. 6.5.1: "The USB Icon is embossed, in a recessed area, on the topside of the USB plug. This provides easy user recognition and facilitates alignment during the mating process."

tjoff 14y ago
So... which side is the topside of the USB port? That might be easy to figure out on a laptop but on an AC-charger? A workstation? A lot of ports are sideways. And, the ports on my monitor are, by any conceivable scenario, rotated 180 degrees from what they should be (they are on the side and "up" in that scenario is facing away from me, towards the wall). Stuff like this requires consistency so that you can trust your instinct, USB have failed miserably in this regard.
- sp332 14y ago
  The "top" is the part with a gap on the A end, and the narrow side on the B end.
- ConstantineXVI 14y ago
  MiniUSB wasn't too bad; it's somewhat easy to figure out which end is up solely by touch. Not only is that nearly impossible with micro, OEM's can't seem to agree on "up". Samsung and Nokia goes with wide side down; HTC and Asus (on the N7, their other tablets use a custom dockplug) have wide side up. And just for fun, on the USB cable with my backup drive, WD decided to defy the spec and put their logo on the top side; and the USB logo on the bottom. And the Apple dockplug is even worse IMHO; besides looking near-identical on both sides, the cable with my iPad 3 printed the logo so lightly it's quicker to guess vs. trying to find it.
- dsr_ 14y ago
  The microUSB ports on my Droids are USB-stamp away from the display. The ports on my Nook and Nexus are USB-stamp towards the display.

pwg 14y ago

> I completely disagree with everybody who raves about the importance of the mag-safe connector, I've never had a problem with the standard round port connector of my pc's The advantage to the mag-safe connector is not evident at first. It only becomes evident when one day you are using your laptop while it is connected to the power cable, and someone else trips over/steps on/moves a chair in a way that eventually yanks on the far end of the power cable. Only once you see that happen in real life (to yourself or someone else) do you truly appreciate the advantage of the mag-safe connector.

nmcfarl 14y ago
In 2002, a coworker who was late to a meeting and running through the office caught his leg on the non-MagSafe power cable for my iBook resulting in it slamming against a filing cabinet so hard that it both cracked the case, and started breifly, but literally, smoking. That was the end of that laptop. I firmly believe in MagSafe.
ConstantineXVI 14y ago
I've only ever had my magsafe pop off when I happen to pull it just a hair too far; but it's happily let me yank the laptop+cord off my desk a few times (thankfully, no damage)