[Ham-Computers] Re New Computers And Lack Of Ports

[Jay Eimer]

The manufacturers said ISA was obsolete over 5 years ago.  They said Serial
ports were obsolete about 2 years ago, when USB 2.0 came out.  The problem
is, there are millions of "old" machines out there that still have serial
ports, and no USB, or are running pre-USB operating systems.  Because of
that, the peripheral manufacturers make things like serial mice and such,
but they make USB peripherals, too.  Catch 22 - there are still old
computers - and their mouse dies.  So Logitech makes serial mice.  But
because Logitech makes serial mice, computer manufacturers are reluctant to
remove com ports from new PCs.  And because com ports are in the PCs, the
"slow" industries don't put forth the effort to switch over.

The solution is no old PCs - but of course the problem with that is there
are millions of people, who you could give a 486-66 and Win 3.1 and they
wouldn't know what they can't do - because they've never tried to do
anything else (surf the web & send email).

The problem with the "radio" industry (includes scanners and a few others,
and it's not the only one) is that THEY are much slower to react to the
rapid changes in the computing industry, so THEY still are making everything
serial only.

Case in point - the ICOM 7800 - has a "network" port.  Or does it?  My Radio
Shack scanners are computer programmable - but the manufacturers software
(GRE made) doesn't support USB OR the virtual com ports created by a Serial
to USB interface.  Why NOT?  Because they're lazy and behind the times, and
that's not their business (the radios are).  But I know it can be done.
How?  Because we did it - Win92, Win93 and Win95 software (aftermarket
freeware) is totally compatible with any Serial to USB converter that
complies with the TTL levels required by the scanner - which aren't required
by the scanner, because of the electronics in the cable - which translates
to WE (those of us in the know) can now program our scanners DIRECT to USB.
And yet I can't program my brand new Kenwood mobile?

Now, I do this for a living - but I play radio in my spare time.  In other
words, I don't write code for fun, or for free.  So do we want all our
keyers, PTT for digital modes, rig control/logging interfaces and all to
work with USB?  I'll do it, if you all want to pay me - the going rate is
$200/hour.

And now you see the problem.  For a radio manufacturer with a razor thin
profit margin, for which amateur radio is a small slice of their market,
they don't want to hire me for a week, let alone a year - to build a USB
version of their serial interface.  And it's not one of these, it's
hundreds, from dozens of companies.  And their "market studies" don't tell
them that you all want USB, because you keep telling them you WANT serial,
because you keep buying it, because we keep running old computers, because
they do what WE need, and because we're tech-savvy enough to keep them
running.  If we weren't, we'd all (and I mean every one of us) buy new
computers every year, none of them would have a serial port (because we
wouldn't know to ask) and then we'd demand NEW peripherals, to work with the
NEW USB interface.

But until that happens (it won't) the radio and peripheral makers will give
the market what it wants, which is serial and serial only (no USB) despite
it being old, obsolete, clunky, and slow.  And we, being tech savvy, will
keep figuring out ways to add old com ports to new machines.

Jay

-----Original Message-----
From: ham-computers-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:ham-computers-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Loren Moline
WA7SKT
Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 08:56
To: ham-computers at mailman.qth.net
Subject: RE: [Ham-Computers] Re New Computers And Lack Of Ports


Steven,

Its not the slots Im talking about..its the equipment that uses the serial
ports that would be made obsolete.

Remember that when color tv came out it had to be compatable with black and
white sets.

I believe no manufacturer should render existing equipment usless..but what
do I know..Im only a consumer.


Loren



Loren Moline WA7SKT  CN86cx
Member: ARRL, Pacific Northwest VHF Society #151
2 Meter EME with 4 X K1FO - 12's and 300 Watts
2 Meter initials = 13 with 300 Watts and 5 with 160 Watts





>From: "Karty, Steven" <kartys at ncs.gov>
>Reply-To: "Computers (or other) used for amateur radio, communications,  or
>experimenting" <ham-computers at mailman.qth.net>
>To: "'Computers (or other) used for amateur radio, communications,  or
>experimenting'" <ham-computers at mailman.qth.net>
>Subject: RE: [Ham-Computers] Re New Computers And Lack Of Ports
>Date: Tue, 6 Jul 2004 09:37:49 -0400
>
>Loren,
>
>What consumer protection law requires that computers have serial ports?  Do
>you suppose there's another consumer protection law that requires computers
>to have ISA slots?  Are you suing the motherboard manufacturers who only
>include PCI slots instead?
>
>Steven - N5SK
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Loren Moline WA7SKT [mailto:lmoline at hotmail.com]
>Sent: Monday, July 05, 2004 9:33 PM
>To: ham-computers at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [Ham-Computers] Re New Computers And Lack Of Ports
>
>I would say any computer you see  that doesnt have at least one serial port
>and one parallel port isnt worth buying because it isnt generic in nature.
>I
>
>could be proprietary.
>
>There are to many new computers out there to settle for anything less.
>
>If computer manufacturers try and obsolete regular serial ports they may be
>in violation of consumer protection laws.
>
>Loren
>
>_______________________________________________
>Ham-Computers mailing list
>Ham-Computers at mailman.qth.net
>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ham-computers


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