I love when you buy computer parts and the manufacturer doesn’t know what other computer parts you want to plug them into so they give you every cable ever conceived of by man just in case
I thought usb was supposed to solve this
USB is supposed to solve what you plug in on the OUTSIDE of the computer. (It doesn’t completely but it does help a lot.) This is for inside the computer, where every plug is uniquely shaped to make sure that naive idiots like me link the correct devices by the correct ports. If these connectors were universal I would’ve plugged everything in wrong and started a fire.
i did tech support in the 90’s, when if you plug in the hard disk the wrong way the motherboard goes up in smoke.
they figured out fast that the cables need to be shaped so you can’t put them the wrong way and put a bright stripe on the side because people will force the cable in and break the pins instead of checking which side tiny locking notches are.
Every time I plug in something where the plug is clearly labelled and a unique size with a notch missing from one corner so it can’t go in upside down I feel so seen. I’m like “yes, the designer of this product understands me.”
Plug designs are written in magic smoke
I’m about to assemble a custom machine for my mother-in-law for her birthday, and let me tell you, I am grateful for those cable designers.
amhrancas 