17 Oct
2006
17 Oct
'06
3:10 p.m.
Ethan wrote:
On 10/18/06, Sridhar Ayengar <ploopster at
gmail.com> wrote:
I just built a new PC, I didn't even think about ports. I personally have
very little use for Parallel ports, and am more interested in Serial ports.
I didn't even think about it not having a Serial port until I was finishing
putting the system together. At least it does have a header for a serial
port on the Motherboard, I'll just have to find a port to connect to it (as
that didn't come with the board). Oh, and the board does have a Parallel
port.
Hmmm, this got me to thinking, and a quick check shows the local "PC Chop
Shop" I buy parts from does sell Serial and Parallel PCI adapters. The only
thing is, they're one port to a card. How hard would it be to put both
ports on one card!
As for laptops, I didn't realize that my work Thinkpad I use doesn't have
one until about a month ago (and I've had it for nearly 3 years). The lack
of a serial port on a work laptop is a definite pain. You main not need it
often, but when you do...
Zane
Robert Feldman wrote:
That's true at my place, too, but I have plenty of uses for a parallel
port on a machine that has nothing to do with printing and I'm not
happy to see that port go on modern machines.
(examples - parallel-wired LCDs on LCDproc, analog meters, etc).
Likewise, I lament the loss of the serial port on modern laptops
(still on desktops so far). I probably have some serial device
plugged into my primary desktop 90% of the time. We have a Dell box at work that doesn't even
have a Centronics parallel
port -- just USB ports. I needed to get a USB-to-Parallel converter
cable to hook up the laserjet to this box.
My new PC doesn't have one either, but that's no big loss as all of my
printers are on the network in one way or another.