14 Sep
2007
14 Sep
'07
1:09 p.m.
On 13/09/2007, Gordon JC Pearce <gordonjcp at gjcp.net> wrote:
IIRC, the PS/2 mouse interface and PS/2 keyboard interface are very
similar. Both are TTL level interfaces with clock and data lines, both
have 4 signals on the connector (+5V, ground, clock, data), and the data
transfer protocol is much the same.
IIRC, the pin assignemts of the 2 interfaces is the same too, and it's
possible to make a device where you can plug the mouse and keyboard into
either connector, and detect what sort of device is plugged into a given
socket. The fact that most PCs didn't let you do that is not the fault of
the interface.
So why not use the same connector for the 2 interfaces?
-tony
It still doesn't excuse having a
physically-but-not-functionally
interchangeable connector for PS/2 mice and keyboards, though. That is
where USB has a big win.
Absolutely 100% concur. That was criminally stupid.