cross-posted from: https://lemmy.cringecollective.io/post/75583

why isn’t it ok? why???

Meme “the number of people who think this is an abomination” over a photo of a USB-A to USB-A cable, “but think this is perfectly acceptable” over a photo of a USB-C to USB-C cable, “makes me sick.”

  • Ekky@sopuli.xyz
    6·
    3 months ago

    Huh, I’m not sure they are comparable.

    Didn’t USB A and USB B use a master-slave relationship in which the male would (generally) always be the slave, whereas USB C uses agreement and discussion to decide the master and slave roles regardless of connector gender.

    Please do correct me if I’m wrong. Also, do we say “agent” now instead of “slave”, or what is the new term?

    • NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de
      2·
      3 months ago

      I think the biggest problem I see with A to A is: who’s delivering power, and who’s receiving it? Maybe if you use it only with the device it came with then it’ll be fine, but if anyone tries to just hook up that cable to two random computers, it might actually cause a short circuit and fry something.

      Whereas Type-C was explicitly made to handle such situations.

      Or a shorter reason: Type-C cable is allowed by the spec while Type-A is not.

      • vext01@lemmy.sdf.org
        1·
        3 months ago

        Hrm. I have a keyboard that requires an A to A cable and I think it works with the cable any way around…

        Might be wrong.

        • NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de
          2·
          3 months ago

          It makes sense, if I remember correctly the older USB cable (i.e. everything before Type-C) are passive, so as long as the pins are wired symmetrically it wouldn’t matter which side is which. But whoever made your keyboard really blundered, there is no reason in the world why anyone would do this. There’s so many options: the B connector, mini USB, micro USB. All would make sense to put in the keyboard. A just doesn’t.

          Let me guess: you got it from an ultra cheap online store? AliExpress/Wish/Temu?

    • DacoTaco@lemmy.world
      1·
      3 months ago

      In the usb world its “host” and “device”, not “master” and “slave”.
      But yes you are right

    • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      1·
      3 months ago

      master/slave could be primary/secondary, primary/subordinate or principle/agent, so you’re correct on that replacement.

      I personally am a big fan of “Mantrap” becoming an “Access Control Vestibule” mostly because it’s fun to say.

      • moonlight@fedia.io
        1·
        3 months ago

        I like controller/peripheral, which is the most descriptive in my opinion. That’s what’s commonly used for SPI.

  • hperrin@lemmy.world
    5·
    3 months ago

    USB-A male to USB-A male is not in any USB standard (not entirely true, but compliant cables are very rare and don’t connect voltage), and if you plug it into a device it’s not meant for, the behavior is entirely unspecified. It will probably do nothing. But it might fry your USB controller that is not expecting to receive voltage.

    USB-C to USB-C is in the spec, and if you plug in two host devices, they won’t hurt each other. You can actually charge a host device over USB-C, unlike USB-A.

    That’s why it isn’t ok. It’s not the same thing, it’s not in the standard, and it can even be dangerous (to the device).

    • chiliedogg@lemmy.world
      0·
      3 months ago

      I absolutely have some Type C cables that only work one way because there’s no enforced standards and the manufacturer will wire them however is cheap, throw on another company’s logo, and sell it to Amazom.

  • RoyaltyInTraining@lemmy.world
    1·
    3 months ago

    The USB spec requires one master and one slave device, which is usually decided by which type of connector each side has. USB OTG can bypass that restriction, but I’ve only ever seen it done with micro USB or type C.