Subject: Re: some observations on the peripheral market
To: Erik E. Fair" , "Net BSD <port-mac68k@netbsd.org>
From: wb2oyc <wb2oyc@bellatlantic.net>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 01/10/1999 10:07:02
>
>With Apple's endorsement and Windows 98 supporting it, looks like USB is
>really taking off. I saw scanners, disks, cameras, SCSI interfaces (!),
>memory-disk modules, keyboards, mice, sketch-pads, lots of hubs, and so on,
>all for USB. NetBSD is in the right place at the right time with support
>for this interface, but I bet we're going to have fat quirk tables, and
>lots of drivers to write for specific devices.
>
I hate the loss of SCSI support in the new Mac's!  Yeah, I'm selfish. I
have one helluva investment just in SCSI cables for pete's sake. :)

Personally, I'm one who's not so enthralled with USB.  The vendors love
it because its cheap, not because its better.  Wait until you hear the
cries from people once they've put EVERYTHING on USB (a one-bit wide buss)
and then nothing works anymore.  Then you'll hear the knocks; "its not 
such a good idea to put all you eggs in one basket", remember that one?
And thats what you'd be doing with USB..

I remember when people knocked the Atari's and such because of the mess
of wires and crap all over the place.  Now, just to hook up anything 
much to a Mac you have to go buy a USB hub, and string cables all over
hell's half acre.  Little, dainty cables that'll break real easy too!

And then there's this one; the 'S' is USB isn't for Serial, its for 
SLOW!  Just wait till you put everything on it, and one device kills
the buss....and NOTHING WORKS!  It isn't even off the ground yet and
already there's FireWire.  Its just another way for them to get you 
to spend money to throw away what you already have, thats probably 
better, and get on board with this thing.  Its cheaper for them, and
thats not necessarily good for you, or me.

Cheaper usually isn't better...in fact, it almost never is.

:)
Paul