in large part due to Apple shipping a LOT of devices with USB-C only
Although I'm not an Apple user, I have no particular animosity toward Apple. However, this aspect of them really makes me mad.
If the only effect Apple's decisions had was in the Apple ecosystem, it wouldn't matter to me. But they keep making these hardware decisions that other manufacturers feel the need to adopt. Those decisions frequently (usually?) seem to be designed to make my life more painful and provide minimal benefits to me at best.
"Dongle" has verifiably been in use in publications since 1981, and anecdotally (from me) in use colloquially for at least a few years before that. Originally, it didn't have anything to do with RJ45 adapters (those came later), but -- according to my memory -- referred to certain printer adapters.
With a phone, the only big issue is charging, and I think USB-C is ready for the job, so I wouldn't hold off on that.
Unless you want to plug the phone into, say, a laptop or other such device, which I do regularly. So I'll wait and see with the phone as well -- I'm hoping that I can hold off long enough for the entire ecosystem to settle out a bit.
USB-C does have potential security issues, as does any USB-power option. This is something that device manufacturers should have been dealing with all along, but it's even more important now.
I don't know about USB-C, but with the other USBs, this is a solved problem. You get a power-only cable. It has no data lines, so there's no security issue.
My conclusion is that now is a lousy time to buy a new computer.
I agree. Same with buying a new phone -- now is the time to hunker down and wait a couple of years to see how this stuff settles out.
Yep -- but again, it doesn't solve any problem I have. My phone already has an appropriately sized standard connection -- so standard that I can grab any random cable or charger from my box and be guaranteed that it will work.
USB-c is the future.
Obviously, and I'm not resisting it. But that doesn't mean USB-C improves anything for me. As long as it doesn't make things too much worse, I'm OK with it.
It’s comforting to think that over time, this will all settle down and we’ll finally achieve the dream of a single cable and port for everything.
No, that's not comforting. If such a wonderful time ever arrives, it will be followed shortly by a new "connector to replace them all" and we'll be at the front end of that train once again.
I've yet to see a computer with USB-C provide more than two such ports.
This is true, and I have to admit, I'm actually surprised at this, especially considering the lack of hubs and on cell phones that have removed the headphone adapter.
What's so hard about fitting at least four ports on a laptop?
USB-C doesn't solve any problem I have, so I'm not going to go out of my way for it and am not particularly excited about it. But I won't resist it, either. I'll adopt is as devices I use switch to it.
If people were actually serious about their privacy, along with uninstalling Kaspersky they'd also stop using anything made/run by Google and Microsoft, stop using all social networks, and would have the most basic of flip phones you could find.
I disagree.
People who are actually serious about privacy understand the exposure involved with every interaction with other humans and systems and make an informed choice about when, where, and how much data about themselves they are willing to reveal in exchange for services they want or need.
Locking yourself in a cave somewhere for fear of losing your privacy isn't taking the issue seriously. At best, it's attempting to avoid the issue. At worst, it's straight-up paranoia.
It's a "which came first, the chicken or the egg" problem.
This is BS. If that were true, then no tech would have ever improved in history. If someone came up with a USB solution that was actually better, then people would voluntarily and cheerfully adopt it. Companies are incentivized to develop it because it gives them a competitive advantage. This is the way it's always worked before.
There needs to be a critical mass, and that's what eliminating the old port generates.
If this is actually true, it means that there is no USB tech that improves on the headphone jack. This is also perhaps the worst possible argument from a PR point of view. It's essentially saying: screw you, customers, we're going to make your experience worse because we can't think of anything better -- but this way might force someone to.
My response to those companies: I don't need your manipulative shit, and I won't be your customer anymore. I am not going to do business with a company that treats me this way.
Something tells me that the sort of person who is likely to be shopping for "high end" goods on eBay are likely to care more about the price than the authenticity.
There's a major difference between "I won't use this, because X" and "Nobody should use this, because X". People can make up their own minds.
However, a lot of people (probably not on/., but in general) genuinely don't understand what they're giving up for these sorts of things. I think it's important that they do. But that requires educating people, not preaching at them. Saying "nobody should use this" does no good whatsoever.
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But doing that would expose the lie that USB-C simplifies connecting things together.
Maybe this is less of an issue in the Apple ecosystem, but outside of that, it's a problem.
IS a dead end design.
I've been seeing this sentiment quite a lot over the past couple of months. Must be on a talking points sheet somewhere.
In any case, this is a meaningless statement since every design is a dead-end design. The only question is how far up the road that end is.
The power transmission in USB-C alone makes it a massive improvement.
It's an improvement, certainly, but "massive"? I disagree. It's not like it's some kind of game-changer. It's an incremental improvement.
in large part due to Apple shipping a LOT of devices with USB-C only
Although I'm not an Apple user, I have no particular animosity toward Apple. However, this aspect of them really makes me mad.
If the only effect Apple's decisions had was in the Apple ecosystem, it wouldn't matter to me. But they keep making these hardware decisions that other manufacturers feel the need to adopt. Those decisions frequently (usually?) seem to be designed to make my life more painful and provide minimal benefits to me at best.
I think the part that's concerning is that entities that aren't related to a transaction that you're conducting can buy that information.
"Dongle" has verifiably been in use in publications since 1981, and anecdotally (from me) in use colloquially for at least a few years before that. Originally, it didn't have anything to do with RJ45 adapters (those came later), but -- according to my memory -- referred to certain printer adapters.
With a phone, the only big issue is charging, and I think USB-C is ready for the job, so I wouldn't hold off on that.
Unless you want to plug the phone into, say, a laptop or other such device, which I do regularly. So I'll wait and see with the phone as well -- I'm hoping that I can hold off long enough for the entire ecosystem to settle out a bit.
Yes, he misused the term, but he also has a point. Pretend he said "poorly supported" rather than "proprietary".
If a company has data about you, they are selling it to anyone willing to pay the fee.
There are exceptions, of course, but they are rare enough to safely ignore.
With new job I got a new MacBook Pro
I'm so sorry.
USB-C does have potential security issues, as does any USB-power option. This is something that device manufacturers should have been dealing with all along, but it's even more important now.
I don't know about USB-C, but with the other USBs, this is a solved problem. You get a power-only cable. It has no data lines, so there's no security issue.
My conclusion is that now is a lousy time to buy a new computer.
I agree. Same with buying a new phone -- now is the time to hunker down and wait a couple of years to see how this stuff settles out.
Yes, that's a potential benefit -- but you have to admit, it's a pretty small one.
Yep -- but again, it doesn't solve any problem I have. My phone already has an appropriately sized standard connection -- so standard that I can grab any random cable or charger from my box and be guaranteed that it will work.
USB-c is the future.
Obviously, and I'm not resisting it. But that doesn't mean USB-C improves anything for me. As long as it doesn't make things too much worse, I'm OK with it.
It had that meaning from before it started to be used for copy protection devices.
It’s comforting to think that over time, this will all settle down and we’ll finally achieve the dream of a single cable and port for everything.
No, that's not comforting. If such a wonderful time ever arrives, it will be followed shortly by a new "connector to replace them all" and we'll be at the front end of that train once again.
I've yet to see a computer with USB-C provide more than two such ports.
This is true, and I have to admit, I'm actually surprised at this, especially considering the lack of hubs and on cell phones that have removed the headphone adapter.
What's so hard about fitting at least four ports on a laptop?
USB-C doesn't solve any problem I have, so I'm not going to go out of my way for it and am not particularly excited about it. But I won't resist it, either. I'll adopt is as devices I use switch to it.
If people were actually serious about their privacy, along with uninstalling Kaspersky they'd also stop using anything made/run by Google and Microsoft, stop using all social networks, and would have the most basic of flip phones you could find.
I disagree.
People who are actually serious about privacy understand the exposure involved with every interaction with other humans and systems and make an informed choice about when, where, and how much data about themselves they are willing to reveal in exchange for services they want or need.
Locking yourself in a cave somewhere for fear of losing your privacy isn't taking the issue seriously. At best, it's attempting to avoid the issue. At worst, it's straight-up paranoia.
The point isn't that you CAN'T change providers.
Huh? Of course you can. It can be a big hassle, as you point out, but it's far from impossible.
It's a "which came first, the chicken or the egg" problem.
This is BS. If that were true, then no tech would have ever improved in history. If someone came up with a USB solution that was actually better, then people would voluntarily and cheerfully adopt it. Companies are incentivized to develop it because it gives them a competitive advantage. This is the way it's always worked before.
There needs to be a critical mass, and that's what eliminating the old port generates.
If this is actually true, it means that there is no USB tech that improves on the headphone jack. This is also perhaps the worst possible argument from a PR point of view. It's essentially saying: screw you, customers, we're going to make your experience worse because we can't think of anything better -- but this way might force someone to.
My response to those companies: I don't need your manipulative shit, and I won't be your customer anymore. I am not going to do business with a company that treats me this way.
I should be free to sell whatever hand bag I choose and slap whatever label I want on it
...and right here is where you're arguing that fraud should be legal.
Something tells me that the sort of person who is likely to be shopping for "high end" goods on eBay are likely to care more about the price than the authenticity.
I thought the holder of that title was the Lisa.
Yes, this.
There's a major difference between "I won't use this, because X" and "Nobody should use this, because X". People can make up their own minds.
However, a lot of people (probably not on /., but in general) genuinely don't understand what they're giving up for these sorts of things. I think it's important that they do. But that requires educating people, not preaching at them. Saying "nobody should use this" does no good whatsoever.
Maybe being older has something to do with it? Not sure.
I'm over 50. Here's hoping that doesn't count as "older".