XPost: sci.space.policy, sci.physics, sci.electronics.design   
   From: gossg@gossg.org   
      
   Jeff Findley  wrote:   
      
   >Bullshit.  The technology in a PC today is quite different than that of   
   >a PC made in 1988.  Nothing in a PC from 1988 would even "plug into" a   
   >PC bought today, except maybe the keyboard and mouse.  And the PC today   
   >is literally orders of magnitude faster.   
      
   The original mice I first saw plugged into a special jack on a card   
   that plugged into the PC.  I had mine on a combo card with video.  The   
   technology to allow a mouse to run on the low power in a serial   
   connection came later.  And serial connectors vanished around Y2K.  I   
   don't know how the data signals in the PS2 mouse connectors compared   
   to the 9 pin serial connectors.   
      
   Keyboards plugged into a large DIN connection.  This was gradually   
   replaced by the smaller PS2 connection, then again with USB   
   connections.   
      
   I don't know if any desktop computers still provide PS2 connectors.  I   
   don't think so.   
      
   I'm still using my 1994 laser printer.  It plugs into a   
   centronics-parallel to USB adapter.  I guess similar adapters are   
   available for serial ports and PS2 connectors.   
      
   Hmmm, come to think of it, the Centronics port was designed for the   
   1988 TRS-80 computer.  A printer from that era would probably plug   
   through my adapter into any modern Windows computer.  And at least the   
   MX-80 and its clones are probably still driver-supported.   
   --   
   We are geeks.  Resistance is voltage over current.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)