Re: [NTLK] Why did Apple use a serial dongle?

From: David Orriss Jr (dave_at_davenet.net)
Date: Mon Feb 03 2003 - 10:11:13 PST


On Monday, February 03, 2003 6:28 AM,
Brian Braunschweiger <brianbraun_at_earthlink.net> wrote:

> Just out of curiosity, does anyone know why Apple designed a dongle
> rather than using a traditional circular serial port? Does the dongle
> port save space, make it more compatible with Windows or what?
> Inquiring minds want to know.
>
>

From what I recall and have heard the port actually supports more signals than
just those for serial comms. The signals are numerous enough that given the
technology for 1997 and the abililty to put those signals into a surface-mounted
port they needed to use what you see there on the end of your newt. The result
is an adapter was needed to go from that port to the DIN connector they had used
in previous models. Why didn't they make a second port like PCBMan had? Again,
from what I've heard, the original intention in that case was to make a modem
'card' that would plug into the port that PCBMan has since utilized...

Ah, the price of progress.... ;-P

--
David Orriss Jr.
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