Treating USB-C as technical debt rather than a feature

On my work Mac, I treat USB-C/TB3 as tech debt rather than a feature, and that helps me get around the problems. USB-C shows a lot of promise in unifying all cables but was forced into devices before it was ready, to its own detriment. Now that ~6 years have passed, I classify the resulting mess as "tech debt" rather than just "early tech."

Don't assume anything is WAI.

- No dock works reliably, even expensive ones. Got KPs even from my CalDigit TB3.

- USB-C monitors are rare and often don't work reliably.

- Dongles don't work reliably, especially video-related ones.

- USB-C cables themselves differ in unexpected ways.

- Many MacBook models overheat if you charge on the left-hand side (supposedly fixed now, but now RHS charging is my habit).

Anything with -C on both ends is extra prone to issues. Even USB-C mice/KBs can be picky about what cable is used. Ironically, adapting -C to USB-A to -C is more reliable than just using a -C cable.

Only buy USB-A peripherals unless you need a feature of USB-C. Besides the unreliability, you'll run out of -C ports. C/A adapters are cheap. -A hubs are dirt cheap. Getting more -C ports isn't, and they'll come with surprise limitations. People blame -A momentum for device manufacturers not adopting -C, but -C doesn't make sense even by itself given how rare, dodgy, and expensive a multi-USB-C hub is. They didn't exist at all the first few years.

My personal laptop is a 2015 MBP before all this, and maybe some day they'll fix USB-C. Until then, it's a more convenient way to charge a phone, or a good multi-port if you research and buy exactly the right peripherals.