From: Victor Rehorst (victor_at_newtontalk.net)
Date: Mon Feb 03 2003 - 10:17:36 PST
Quoting Brian Braunschweiger <brianbraun_at_earthlink.net>:
> Just out of curiosity, does anyone know why Apple designed a dongle
> rather than using a traditional circular serial port? Does the dongle
> port save space, make it more compatible with Windows or what?
> Inquiring minds want to know.
It was done so that Apple and third-parties could make cables or docking
stations for the Newton that would have more connectivity than just a serial
port. The Interconnect provides 2 serial channels (one at line-level, one at
CMOS level), audio in/out, +5V out for external peripherals, as well as pins
to charge the Newton via the Interconnect port (although I don't think this
was ever implemented in the NewtonOS).
To quote page 1 of the Newton Interconnect Port specs:
(http://newyork.unna.org/unna/development/documentation/interconnect/newton_i.pdf)
"Because of the wide array of devices that may be connected to the MessagePad,
the Newton Interconnect Port has been designed with the flexibility needed to
accommodate the majority of such devices. There is no minimum set of required
signals: a device could, for example, use only audio out to provide a
connection to a set of amplified speakers."
-- Victor Rehorst - victor_at_newtontalk.net - chuma_at_chuma.org NewtonTalk list administrator - http://www.newtontalk.net Will the last person to leave the platform please turn off the backlight? -- This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all inquiries List FAQ/Etiquette/Terms: http://www.newtontalk.net/faq.html Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/
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