What's the point of USB keyboards+mice = Re: EPROM and EEPROM - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

5 May 2012

On Sat, 5 May 2012 21:24:19 +0100 (BST), ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) wrote:
...
    And why is this a Good Thing? My point is that
it's to be exptected that
 a modern PC will have a keyboard and mouse connected to it. Why does it
 make any difference to the used if those can be connected to 2 of the USB
 ports or to 2 specific connectors for them? 
 You've already asked that. 
 Yes, and I still haven't received an answer.

 NOW imagine that a whole bunch of unforeseen devices - printers,
 cameras, touch sensitive tablets, disks, modems, e-book readers, 'pen'
 drives, portable audio players, ... - arrives. Are they meant to use
 PS/2? Are they supposed to have individual connectors? USB is no more a
 silly idea than RS-232 is. 
 That is NOT WHAT I AM ASKING ABOUT. I sam specifically considering only
 keyboards and mice. I happen to think that USB is a useful interface in
 some situations, for example for external memory devices. That doens't
 mean I have to think it's the best interface for all applications no
 matter what marketroids may claim.  
Consider the computer in front of me. There is a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, and a
Wacom Inkling all plugged in and active using USB. How do you do that with only two ports?
I use the trackball and occasionally the tablet. Another user uses the mouse and the
tablet. All without unplugging and plugging the various devices...
        ->CRC