Classic ports missing on modern machines (was Re: PDT-11/150 down)

[Ethan Dicks]

On 10/18/06, Sridhar Ayengar <ploopster at gmail.com> wrote:
> Robert Feldman wrote:
> > We have a Dell box at work that doesn't even have a Centronics parallel
> > port -- just USB ports. I needed to get a USB-to-Parallel converter
> > cable to hook up the laserjet to this box.
>
> My new PC doesn't have one either, but that's no big loss as all of my
> printers are on the network in one way or another.

That's true at my place, too, but I have plenty of uses for a parallel
port on a machine that has nothing to do with printing and I'm not
happy to see that port go on modern machines.

(examples - parallel-wired LCDs on LCDproc, analog meters, etc).

Likewise, I lament the loss of the serial port on modern laptops
(still on desktops so far).  I probably have some serial device
plugged into my primary desktop 90% of the time.

-ethan