R.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 4
Oh man, the #MacbookNeo is giving me pre-unibody 2008 #Macbook vibes. RESIIIIISST!!! — #microblogging #MicroToot: 84 characters
Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@rl_dane

Let me help you:
_$700 for 8GB of non upgradeable RAM_

That said, love the idea of fun and friendly machines coming back. Really looking forward to the death of depressing grey monoliths.

Show threadMoses Izumi
@OpenComputeDesign @rl_dane
Yeah, at that point you might as well be using a phone/tablet in a docking station as your primary computer.

Every time I look at the CrowView et. al. I think about building a more opinionated version of the same thing.
- battery bank (ATX PSU, USB-PD)
- a VESA mount behind the screen, to hold some little office PC
- drive bays
- swappable keyboards
- expresscard over thunderbolt(!)

Speaking of fun and friendly computers: how are your homemade ITX cases going?
Mar 5 at 1:15pmWeb
Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@moses_izumi @rl_dane

Currently a bit stalled while I try to find a good source of small form factor power supplies that aren't absolutely terrible but also don't cost three times what I would consider reasonable

Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@OpenComputeDesign @moses_izumi

We're currently in the Cuba phase of supply chain. XD 🤦‍♂️

Show threadMoses IzumiMar 5
@OpenComputeDesign @rl_dane
I had the same problem looking for a 100-245 watt USB powerbank: both of the ones I'd settled on reportedly overheat at max output.
Show threadMoses IzumiMar 5
@OpenComputeDesign @rl_dane
ExpressCard seems to be dead, but the MXM format for GPUs is still kicking.
Actually considered getting an Elitebook 8560w just for that, power efficiency be damned.
Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@moses_izumi @rl_dane

Expresscard was so underutilized 😭

Everyone raving about how incredible thunderbolt is, when expresscard was that, plus it let expansions fit inside the machine! Who needs external expansion when you have internal expansion you don't have to unplug every time you move your laptop???

Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@OpenComputeDesign @moses_izumi

Press "F" to pay respects to laptop card slots.

Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@rl_dane @moses_izumi

I will never forgive humanity for this.

Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@OpenComputeDesign @moses_izumi

* laughs, then weeps uncontrollably in "all you need is one or two USB-C ports, RIGHT?"

Show threadkabel42Mar 5
@rl_dane @OpenComputeDesign @moses_izumi those can have a pcie lane now :)
Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@kabel42 @OpenComputeDesign @moses_izumi

I know, I know it's crazy fast and capable. It's just kinda... meh. ;)

Gimme full USB-A. Gimme SD (not micro). Gimme card slots. XD

...heck, GIMME A TRACKBALL, FtLoG! (For the Love of God)

Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@rl_dane @kabel42 @moses_izumi

USB-C is in the top three worst designed connector of all time tbh. And it's a _very_ fierce competition, so that's saying a lot.

Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@OpenComputeDesign @kabel42 @moses_izumi

What're the other two?

At least it's easy to insert, and reversible.

Would you rather CENTRONIX?!? XD

Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@rl_dane @kabel42 @moses_izumi

Yo even miniUSB is better.

Micro USB is of course one of the other two. I forget what the third one is at the moment

Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@OpenComputeDesign @kabel42 @moses_izumi

It was definitely easier to see which way to insert MiniUSB, but the whole idea behind MicroUSB was to be more durable.

I think Lightning is horrible because it's proprietary, and USB 2-only.

Centronix and similar classic parallel buses (like SCSI) were very unwieldy, and not fun to use.

Screw terminals like on RS-232 and VGA were annoying, but secure. Meh. ;)

Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@rl_dane @kabel42 @moses_izumi

MicroUSB is probably the single least durable connector ever made (with USB-C being second) XD

Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@OpenComputeDesign @kabel42 @moses_izumi

The only connector I've had that I saw have durability issues is Lightning, and that's because they were designed to fray.

Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@rl_dane @kabel42 @moses_izumi

I have to keep reminding people, when they say something is durable, or that they've never had problems with it, that I don't work a desk job ;)

Show threadkabel42Mar 5
@OpenComputeDesign @rl_dane @moses_izumi 3.5mm and 2.5mm audio jack, making all the connection during pluging and unpluging and i've killed so many headphone cables...
Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@kabel42 @rl_dane @moses_izumi

I don't understand what you're saying?

Show threadkabel42Mar 5
@OpenComputeDesign @rl_dane @moses_izumi this is evil garbage and the worst connector
Phone connector (audio) - Wikipedia

Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@kabel42 @rl_dane @moses_izumi

Oh, well, too be fair, TRRS jacks sucking is all apple's fault.

Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@OpenComputeDesign @kabel42 @moses_izumi

Ever saw TRRRS video cables? Those were a trip. XD

My PSOne used it, and I got an adapter so I could plug in a "broken" VCR to use as a cable TV tuner circa 2001.

So, I spent a couple years watching TV on a 5" LCD.

I miss the eyes of my youth. XD

Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@rl_dane @kabel42 @moses_izumi

I have many. The trouble with TRRS jacks is really that (again, largely thanks to Apple) no one can agree if the ground should be the last ring (duhhhhhhhh) or the second to last ring (genuinely what the _fuck_ Apple??)

Show threadkabel42Mar 5
@OpenComputeDesign @rl_dane @moses_izumi I've seen devices use those as serial interface and the handbook tells you to never plug/unplug the thing while the device is powered or you short the powersupply 🥳
Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@kabel42 @rl_dane @moses_izumi

Well, I'll admit, using a shorting connector for a short sensitive application is stupid. It's all about the right connector for the job. USB-C just claims to be suitable for all jobs when it's actually suitable for none.

Show threadkabel42Mar 5
@OpenComputeDesign @rl_dane @moses_izumi it's pretty nice as a docking station connector
Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@kabel42 @rl_dane @moses_izumi

HAAAARRRRDDDDD disagree :)

Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@kabel42 @OpenComputeDesign @moses_izumi

The 2nd and later gen iPod Shuffle used TRRS as a USB port. XD

Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@rl_dane @kabel42 @moses_izumi

Friggin apple :P

Show threadkabel42Mar 5
@rl_dane @OpenComputeDesign @moses_izumi someone at apple is allergic to actually implementing standards and good electrical engineering?
Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5
@kabel42 @rl_dane @moses_izumi Everyone at apple, I think :P
Show threadkabel42Mar 5
@rl_dane @OpenComputeDesign @moses_izumi the usb (A) connector was an example at university for good desing because it mechanically ensures power and ground make good connection before the datalines make contact
Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@kabel42 @OpenComputeDesign @moses_izumi

I mean, it was either that, or come up with a proprietary connector for both data and audio.

Oh wait, that's lightning. XD

Show threadMoses IzumiMar 5
@rl_dane @OpenComputeDesign
Dongle Hell might've been okay if every laptop had a tiny drawer under the keyboard.
Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@moses_izumi @OpenComputeDesign

Kind of like the Apple II: no external ports, but internal room to connect stuff, and just route the cables through slots in the back. XD

Show threadMoses IzumiMar 5
@rl_dane @OpenComputeDesign
Was thinking more of kiosk setups where the computer is stuffed into a locked cupboard.

(Folding ribbon cables is actually kinda cozy)
Show threadkabel42Mar 5
@OpenComputeDesign @rl_dane @moses_izumi expresscard is PCMCIE but with PCI express?
Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@kabel42 @OpenComputeDesign @moses_izumi

Basically. A little narrower, but way more capable than PCMCIA/PC Card.

Bonus points if you remember the faux acronym People Can't Memorize Computer Industry Acronyms. ;)

Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@rl_dane @kabel42 @moses_izumi

I can only remember my PCMCIA/YMCA parody :P

Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 Mar 5

@OpenComputeDesign @kabel42 @moses_izumi

Oh, that's fun. XD

I can visualize an advert featuring PC Card NICs and Modems singing that. XD

Show threadkabel42Mar 5
@rl_dane @OpenComputeDesign @moses_izumi I think i had a 10/100 mbit nic and later a 802.11b WiFi card :)
Show threadGuy who's trying his best :(Mar 5

@kabel42 @rl_dane @moses_izumi

Basically, yeah.

iirc, OG PCMCIA=ISA, "PC Card" Updated PCMCIA=PCI+ISA, Expresscard=PCI-E+USB