Your Tech Tip of the Day (Jack Bog's Blog)

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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on February 9, 2008 5:31 PM. The previous post in this blog was At Providence and Read. The next post in this blog is Don't forget Wayne. Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.

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Saturday, February 9, 2008

Your Tech Tip of the Day

Do not insert a Firewire jack into a USB port.

This has been Your Tech Tip of the Day.

Posted at 5:31 PM | Permalink

Comments (12)

What happened? Er, I mean what would happen Jack? ;-)

Posted by Stu B | February 9, 2008 5:44 PM

Hypothetically speaking, the port will be physically trashed and it won't work, ever again.

Again, hypothetically speaking, don't insert the Firewire jack into a second USB port and wreck that one too, before you realize that you are an idiot.

Posted by Jack Bog | February 9, 2008 5:47 PM

Gotta be more specific Jack. Do NOT insert a firewire 400 plug into a USB receptacle. I think this is one of the reasons they changed the Firewire 800 connector so that it would be physically impossible to do what hypothetically happened. That's an expensive hypothetical mistake as it probably doesn't leave any spare hypothetical USB plugs to use. You could hypothetically purchase one of those USB keyboards with all the spare receptacles on it, but then you'd have to figure out how to plug it in.

What a bummer. Was this hypothetical device an external firewire/usb harddrive by chance? Those manufacturers seem to be the worst about properly labeling the connectors.

Posted by mrfearless47 | February 9, 2008 7:40 PM

There are labels on the connectors?

Posted by Jack Bog | February 9, 2008 8:57 PM

Tech tip of yesterday: RTFM

Tech tip of tomorrow: RTFC

Tech tipping point: any single malt, neat.

Posted by Tenskwatawa | February 9, 2008 9:26 PM

Little tiny icons for firewire or USB. Just like the ones on the computer itself. They are usually stamped into the flat part of the male connector. The problem is that if you are iconophobic like I am the icons don't help but I'm good at pattern recognition.

Actually this is useful knowledge because I always wondered what would happen if you connected firewire to USB or the reverse. Now I know thanks to your experiment . Dat no good.

Posted by mrfearless47 | February 9, 2008 10:09 PM

Little tiny icons for Firewire or USB.

I was kidding -- I knew about the icons, just didn't look at them carefully. And they're dang similar. Would it kill them to use letters like "USB" and "FW"? Sheesh.

Fortunately, I didn't screw up the operation of the computer -- just the ports.

Posted by Jack Bog | February 9, 2008 10:13 PM

haha;

That was funny!

You have to take off the box cover and plug the firewire into the motherboard right?

Posted by AL M | February 9, 2008 11:35 PM

oops. Well, if its not a laptop they can be replaced pretty easily. For a laptop, the best bet is probably to get a PC card that has the ports you need.

Posted by Jon | February 10, 2008 12:25 AM

if its not a laptop they can be replaced pretty easily

Don't know about that; most USB hubs have been mounted on the motherboard for quite a while. Getting it replaced involves soldering fine pitch parts with specialized equipment; that's why most repairs involve exchange of the board.

But I do agree that a card might be the best solution for a laptop.

Posted by john rettig | February 10, 2008 8:57 AM

In a desktop computer you can simply drop in a slot card with USB 2 connectors. Takes about 5 minutes. For Jack, who doesn't like to RTFM, it might take 10. And remember, ground yourself before touching the components inside your computer .

Frys is your friend here. Card with 2 - 4 USB 2.0 receptacles should run about $25.

Posted by mrfearless47 | February 10, 2008 12:11 PM

most USB hubs have been mounted on the motherboard for quite a while

Obscene? Yes, but protected by the Oregon Constitution.

Posted by Jack Bog | February 10, 2008 2:02 PM

In Vino Veritas

Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
Cameron, Chardonnay
B.R. Cohn, Cabernet, Silver Label 2006
Graffigna, Cabernet 2005
Palo Alto, Reserve Red 2008
Menguante, Garnacha 2008
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Felsina Berardenga, Vin Santo 1997
Anne Amie, Pinot Gris 2009
McKinley Springs, Bombing Ramge Red 2007
Vieux Papes Red
Dionysius Chardonnay 2009
Haden Fig, Pinot Noir 2009
Vega Montan, Mencia 2008
Chateau la Vernede, Coteaux du Languedoc 2007
Mount Defiance, Hellfire (White) 2008
Root: 1, Cabernet 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Pinot Grigio 2009
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 White, 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 Rose, 2007
Abacela, Grenache Rose 2009
Avia Cabernet 2004
Lemelson Pinot Noir, Thea's Selection 2007
Chateau de la Roulerie, Rose d'Anjou 2009
Casal Garcia, Vinho Verde Rose
La Ferme Julien, Rose 2008
Cana's Feast, Bricco Red, 2006
Hogue, Genesis Merlot, 2008
Owen Roe, Sharecropper's Cabernet, 2008
Kim Crawford, Unoaked Chardonnay 2008
J. Scott, Pinot Noir 2008
Edmunds St. John, White, Heart of Gold 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2006
Stevenot, Cabernet, Sierra Foothills, "Stanford" 2000
Portuga, Vinho Rose 2009
Taylor Fladgate, First Estate Reserve Porto
Franciscan, Cabernet, Napa 2006
Chaparral de Vega Sindoa, Garnacha 2008
Quinta da Aveleda, Vinho Verde 2008
St. Francis, Chardonnay Sonoma 2008
E. Guigal, Cotes du Rhone Blanc, 2007
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Noir 2008
St. Innocent, Pinot Noir 2006
Jigsaw, Pinot Noir 2007
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Indian Wells 2007
Charles Shaw, Chardonnay 2008
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Rosé 2009
Cameron, Willamette Valley Chardonnay
Il Valore, Sangiovese, Giovane, Puglia 2008
Duck Pond, Chardonnay, Wahluke Slope 2007
Kim Crawford, Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008
Domaine du Pesquier, Cotes du Rhone 2005
Cantina Zaccagnini, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2006
Domaine Matrot, Chardonnay, Bourgogne 2007
David Hill, Oregon Sparkling Wine, Brut
Chandler Reach, Monte Regalo 2006
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2008
Kirkland, Columbia Valley Merlot 2008
D'Aragon, Old Vine Garnacha 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2005
Pavin & Riley, Merlot 2006
David Hill, Estate Pinot Noir, Barrel Select 2006
Castle Rock, Paso Robles Cabernet 2006
Magnificent, Cabernet, Steak House 2008
Conundrum 2008
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1998
Saint Cosme, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
La Granja, Tempranillo 360, 2008
Santa Rita, Mendalla Real Cabernet 2006
Columbia Crest, Grand Estates Merlot 2006
Andezon, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
Collegiata, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Troon, Druid's Fluid 2008
La Granja, Tempranillo 2008
Monte Antico, Toscana 2006
Vieux Papes, Blanc de Blancs

The Occasional Book

Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 54
At this date last year: 50
Total run in 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269