this post was submitted on 09 Oct 2023
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USB inventor explains why the connector was not designed to be reversible (www.pcgamer.com)
submitted 11 months ago by ooli to c/technology
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[–] sebinspace 16 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (3 children)

I learned a long time ago that it takes three licks to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop, because commercial breaks during Saturday morning cartoons told me so. Sometime later, I also learned that "three" is usually the magic number for correctly plugging in a USB Type-A device.

……what the fuck?

Edit: Guys, I get the reference to Tootsie Pop ads and that USB-A connectors are often stubborn to connect. The “wtf-ness” comes from the writer making such an oddball reference just to arrive at the number three

[–] [email protected] 15 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Diagram showing a USB Type A plug which doesn't fit. Then it's flipped 180°, still doesn't fir. Then flipped 180° again, i.e. back into the original position, but now it magically fits.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Still not sure what that has to do with tootsie roll pops, other than the number 3? Explaining why someone said something doesn’t automatically make it not weird

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Just a reference to an old ad

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

No, I know, we all know the ad, we are just trying to figure out what that has to do with USB’s other than a use of the number “3.” It’s a really weird part of the article that elicits a “wtf” whether you get the reference or not. Getting the reference doesn’t make it not weird.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Here is an alternative Piped link(s):

old ad

Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Oh yeah, no, I agree. I just wasn't entirely sure, if they thought it was even weirder than it still is, because they did not know the joke about the USB sticks. Just trying to help via dumb memes. 🙃

[–] sebinspace 2 points 11 months ago

I can respect that

[–] TheTetrapod 4 points 11 months ago

If you're still confused, it's an apparently universal experience to try to plug in a USB, feel resistance, flip it, feel much more resistance, and then realize you were correct the first time. Hence, three is the magic number.

[–] DontTreadOnBigfoot 1 points 11 months ago (2 children)
[–] sebinspace 3 points 11 months ago

Yeah no I get the reference

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Here is an alternative Piped link(s):

https://piped.video/2IA5Cv_5-g8?si=uNsUHzKEzSJkS7QX

Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.

I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.