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Computers are dirt cheap, but are are we sacrificing quality too much?
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The reason floppy drives, PS/2, Serial and Parallel ports are disappearing is because thats what consumers want. Same with lightweight materials. People don't want a huge, heavy box on their desk like the old days. Why have 6 different ports do the same thing that USB ports can do? Why have a floppy drive when computers are coming with CD burners, everyone has at least dialup (and 1.44 mb takes about 5 mins to transfer across a 56k connection), and most of the files people want to transfer are larger than 1.44mb? Why have thick metal casing on a computer when chances are it's going to sit on your desk in the same spot for the rest of its useful life?
Not to mention that if you really need those features you can either build your own or find a company that will custom-build a computer with those features for you.
As far as warranties, I agree with hard drives (even though there are still companies offering 3 year warranties), but why offer long warranties on inexpensive parts? One year is sufficient for most parts. Take a CD burner, for example. You can buy a Sony 52x cd burner for $35 shipped from newegg. If it breaks in a year, it will cost you probbably at least $5 to ship back, not to mention gas and time and packing materials. Then you've got to do without your cd burner while it's being fixed and shipped back to you. Chances are in a year, A 52x cd burner with 16x DVD, which costs $50 now, will be available for $30, and that sony cd burner will be available for $20. It just doesn't make much fiscal sense to go through the hassle of having your cd-burner repaired when you can buy a brand new one with more features for the same price you paid a year ago, or buy the same one brand new for a fraction of the cost.
Same with processors and motherboards. Usually by the time something goes wrong, it just makes more sense to upgrade the damn thing than waste time having it replaced.
I've never seen a computer without PS/2 ports. Assuming they do exist, which I'm sure they do, I think it's safe to assume that they also come with USB Keyboards.
It's not like USB keyboards cost more than PS/2 keyboards, although you won't find USB on some $5 piece of crap keyboard. I'm sure there are also USB to PS/2 adaptors.
Nice.
vi_edit is right, but some of these "omissions" are a Good Thing(TM). For example, why would most people want or need a floppy drive (esp. on a laptop) or crappy ISA-bus I/O ports? You only really love them if you can let them go, their time has passed. 😀 Floppy drive on a laptop... eeeewwww! it only adds weight and cost.
To be honest, though, I still need a parallel port for my old printer. I took the thing from a "junk parts" pile more than a year ago -- it's a former library printer -- it still works really well. 🙂
I can live without a floppy drive, even though for compatibility, quickness, and cost they are still useful in a non-networked environment or for machines that need a quick NIC driver.
The omission of a PS/2 port and a parallel port is just a PITA. Most laptops ship with 2 USB ports. A few have more, but 2 is pretty much the standard. Since you don't have a parallel port you have to go USB. Throw on a mouse and you just spent your available USB ports and can't add on a keyboard or a camera without picking up a USB hub.
Of course, you can always pick up docking stations or port replicators but those are anywhere from $100-$200.
I don't agree that "the consumer wants this". USB printers are a much bigger PITA to work with driver wise than parallel printers. USB keyboards ARE more expensive than non-usb keyboards and the ones that are available have goofy f lock keys and a ton of "multimedia" buttons that make for huge sized keyboards.
There's a difference between leading edge and bleeding edge.
The omission of a PS/2 port and a parallel port is just a PITA. Most laptops ship with 2 USB ports. A few have more, but 2 is pretty much the standard. Since you don't have a parallel port you have to go USB. Throw on a mouse and you just spent your available USB ports and can't add on a keyboard or a camera without picking up a USB hub.
Of course, you can always pick up docking stations or port replicators but those are anywhere from $100-$200.
I don't agree that "the consumer wants this". USB printers are a much bigger PITA to work with driver wise than parallel printers. USB keyboards ARE more expensive than non-usb keyboards and the ones that are available have goofy f lock keys and a ton of "multimedia" buttons that make for huge sized keyboards.
There's a difference between leading edge and bleeding edge.
I need floppy drives since I'm a drive whore and have to load controller drivers for Windows setup. One day Microsoft will fix that.
Serial ports are good to keep around on desktops - give me one. Why? Console.
Parallel can die. If I need it, I'll buy a $3 PCI card.
Western Digital still does 3 year warrenties on their OEM drives
PS/2 is still *REQUIRED* Laptop and desktop. Give us at least one - I have an example from 1996 of an autosensing mouse/keyboard PS/2 port on a laptop, you can do it now.
Serial ports are good to keep around on desktops - give me one. Why? Console.
Parallel can die. If I need it, I'll buy a $3 PCI card.
Western Digital still does 3 year warrenties on their OEM drives
PS/2 is still *REQUIRED* Laptop and desktop. Give us at least one - I have an example from 1996 of an autosensing mouse/keyboard PS/2 port on a laptop, you can do it now.
Most laptops that come with 2 usb ports also come with PS/2 ports, so your argument is moot. I don't think I've ever seen a laptop that didn't come with both, and you can get a USB Hub for $12.50 shipped at newegg. If you can afford a laptop, but a thirteen dollar USB hub is too expensive for you, maybe you should have bought a cheaper laptop?
$9 for the lowest priced PS/2 Keyboard with free shipping All the PS/2 keyboards that cost less than this one cost $5 to ship.
$15 for the lowest Priced USB Keyboard with free shipping This one comes with a mouse, but same deal as above.
So it's $6 dollars more for a basic USB keyboard without multimedia keys, and it comes with a mouse. Guess what? If your computer has only USB ports on it, chances are you already saved that $6 because they didn't have to implement two PS/2 ports.
Also, USB printers in my experience have been the same or easier to work with. Plug them in, pop in the driver cd, and they're done. What kind of USB printers are you using?
No, they don't.
The only Inspiron line of laptops currently available that has a PS/2 (that I'm aware of) is the beastly 8XXX line which decks in at over 10 pounds. Only one line of Gateways have them. Only one line of IBMs have them.
They are hard to find on Toshiba, and very few Sony's include them as well.
It just irks me that I have to bump up to a $500 or more expensive product for a freaking port that costs less than a buck probably in parts.
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