It’s 2022, so why is USB-C still so damn complicated? | Hacker News Reader

It’s 2022, so why is USB-C still so damn complicated?

thenextweb.com

17 pointstakiwatanga9 comments

Here's an idea. We could use differently-shaped connectors for different purposes!

Time to admit USB-C was a naïve idea that gave us a mélange of compromises and inconsistencies, thoroughly coated in squid ink.*

* Apparently USB-C specifies the color must be black. There goes that method (color-coding) of identifying different capabilities.

And while we are at it, maybe also bring back laptop docks that work by setting a laptop down on top of it? With connectors on the bottom of the laptop instead of a cable to plug in?

One can dream

I'm still rocking a x230 with the old Lenovo dock. It's a pleasure to just put it down/ pick up without any attached cables. Though didn't the Lenovo X1 had a nice bottom-attachee dock too?

I've been on the hunt for the right USB-C hub...

---

I have a flagship Omen 15 gaming laptop. Great guts, horrible case.

Has (1) RJ45, (1) SS-USB-2 [The Blue One], (2) USB-2 [The Black One], and (1) USB-C.

The USB-C doesnt produce enough power to connect either of my USB-Only AOC Monitors... but all the other USB ports can power them.

So, I needed more USB ports, and I bought several different USB hubs; one that is a 4-port-USB-2 hub as well as a USB-C multi-port hub (SD,MMC,USB,HDMI) however, it doesnt have a USB-C port on it. It has a USB-C POWER poer on it (meaning to feed topower to the hub, plug the USB-C female port into a male USB cable to a USB-2 connector and then plug THAT into 5v power and THEN you can power a USB monitor off of this hub.

Total wastes of money, as I have several USB-C External SSD drives I want to use, but this (1) USB-C port on this machine is a joke.

FWIW I really like the Caldigit docks

Wow that TS4 is amazing, but ~$300+ its expensive as heck.

It seems to me cables and ports should just have max wattage printed near the port/connector in small print.

MYbe devices could report on the cables & what power they've been able to negotiate? Tbis is my complaint. Pretending that things are simple & hiding implementations is how we get infernal machines.

> Pretending that things are simple & hiding implementations is how we get infernal machines.

This is why we must strive for simplicity at all all levels. That simplicity needs to be total, otherwise it is the following quote:

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. ...."

    -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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