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Comment by dylan62 | Hacker News Reader

I've always wondered why the USB port is the way it is. It seems such an unbelievably stupid design, but I assume there must be a reason for it. Does anyone have a link, or brief explanation?

Incidentally a search for "why is the usb port such a stupid design?" (without the quotes) brings up nothing remotely relevant on any of the major search engines. Strange.

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I have been as frustrated as anyone by trying to plug in USB plugs both ways. Or by finding that USB plugs make a rather neat fit in RJ45 jacks.

But really, looking back on the history of common connectors (DB plugs, DIN plugs, 10BASE2, etc.), USB looks really simple, safe, cheap, reliable, and easy-to-use. I've never had a USB socket go bad. I've never shorted out any equipment by brushing a USB plug with a conductive object. I've never needed to clean a USB connector to get it to work properly. But all those things have happened to me with USB's predecessors.

Probably because it's just really, really simple. Short of audio jacks, it's one of the simplest computer plugs in existence. That's a good thing when you're trying to achieve universal adoption.

I wonder how that explains the over-complex multi-layer protocol. (Go look up OTG)

Or maybe because USB-IF is built of committees made up by (mostly) the least productive people in given large organizations.

Unfortunately, audio jacks are also bone-headed.

I'd love to see a more natural feeling interface. Why, for instance, can't we have magsafe-esque connector for USB? Or hell, maybe even a TRS connector (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS_connector) with 2 or 3 additional ring contacts? Seems like both would be much more user friendly.

Anything in the TRS configuration is prone to shorting when connecting/disconnecting. Not at al suitable for an interface that includes powered conductors.

Magsafe is patented by Apple:

http://patft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Se...

That's why docking stations don't have Magsafe connections.

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