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Keiretsu · Nov 8, 2003, 06:38 PM

It just occurred to me, that on the new PBG4 the ports are somehow the wrong way round for a reight handed person:

Left: CardBus slot, Modem, Audio and Power
Right: Firewire 400/800 Ethernet, DVI

This means that those port you use most (at least I) are on the left side. [Ever tried to stick something in that CardBus slot with your left?].

On the other hand, to the right -- where I have my mouse -- are all those bulky thick cables that pose problems if you have a mouse on the right side: DVI, Firewire, Network

For me, a setup exactly the other way round would be way more convenient!

... is Jonathan Ive left handed? Then the 'Book fits perfectly!

ASIMO · Nov 8, 2003, 07:17 PM

I hear he is ambidextrous.

There goes your theory.

Keiretsu · Nov 8, 2003, 07:36 PM

Originally posted by ASIMO:
I hear he is ambidextrous.

There goes your theory.

Not exactly (or at least not completely), it could just mean he does not care

moodymonster · Nov 8, 2003, 08:07 PM

A hub could be a good idea.

Whichever way round you put the ports its gonna inconvience someone. I'm left handed but because i've always shared computers I can use the mouse (and trackpads) fine with my right (even draw, kinda). However I can't use my left hand, I tend to go in the opposite direction I want to. Then again I can't use a wacom stylus with my right but I can with my left. Weird.

goMac · Nov 8, 2003, 08:57 PM

Makes sense to me.

Audio cords usually come out of the left ear of headphones.

Mouse goes into the USB port on the side for right handed people.

iohead · Nov 8, 2003, 09:46 PM

Originally posted by Keiretsu:
This means that those port you use most (at least I) are on the left side. [Ever tried to stick something in that CardBus slot with your left?].

... is Jonathan Ive left handed? Then the 'Book fits perfectly!

Well ... "left" is a pretty common side for the CardBus slot. My IBM ThinkPad and Sony VAIO both have their CardBus slots on the left side ...

-A

BlueCat · Nov 9, 2003, 06:03 AM

The cardbus slot is okay for me as I'm used to it being on the left side (from previous Thinkpad).

USB ports are on both sides so that's okay. I'm also happy with the speaker and mic ports.

However, although I do not use any firewire accessories, I do see how a firewire add-on (e.g. drive )attached to the right hand side would be annoying.

Also, I probably would had prefer if modem was on the right and network cable on the left, as there would be a greater chance of me connecting a n/w cable rather than an analogue line!

And finally (again I don't attach an external display, but would a right hand port annoy right hand users with external mouse?

madmike · Nov 9, 2003, 07:07 AM

Why on earth would you want all the cables sticking out on the side where your hand is trying to mouse?

Cables stick out about 6-8" from my PB 12". I'm glad they're not on the right.

CrackedButter · Nov 9, 2003, 10:41 AM

I had this annoy me for a while but now all i do is have the 15" PB at a slant and move the mouse a little bit further away from the side of the PB.

Thankfully they have a USB port on the left, thats what i plug my MX 700 into.

Eug · Nov 9, 2003, 12:29 PM

Originally posted by madmike:
Why on earth would you want all the cables sticking out on the side where your hand is trying to mouse?

Cables stick out about 6-8" from my PB 12". I'm glad they're not on the right.

I hated that on my iBook. The optical drive tray and mouse cable do not mix.

I much prefer having everything at the back on my TiBook.

If I had a current generation AluBook, I'd much prefer to have the PCMCIA slot on the right, with DVI and Firewire on the left. DVI and Firewire would thus not get tangled up with my right-sided mouse cord, and for PCMCIA it wouldn't matter since it's all the way inside the machine.

tritonus · Nov 9, 2003, 02:56 PM

Originally posted by Keiretsu:
... is Jonathan Ive left handed? Then the 'Book fits perfectly!

I'm left handed! So my PB fits perfectly

fraeone · Nov 9, 2003, 03:49 PM

Cardbus ports are on the left in 90% of the laptops I've ever seen.

RooneyX · Nov 9, 2003, 04:25 PM

Jonathan is using the mouse with his right hand and plugging up ports with his left.

iomatic · Nov 9, 2003, 04:49 PM

Originally posted by Keiretsu:

Left: CardBus slot, Modem, Audio and Power
Right: Firewire 400/800 Ethernet, DVI

... is Jonathan Ive left handed? Then the 'Book fits perfectly!

Well, interestingly, as a professional at a creative firm, I hardly ever use the PC Card slot (weekends with a digital camera), Modem (again, weekends only), or Audio (iMac or iPod jukebox), anyway.

At work, when I do need to plug in and work constantly, the PowerBook sits back with all of its requisite cables, video, and a full-sized keyboard and a Microsoft mouse dedicated and out of the way. So the ports being in front/back/side/underneath works fine for me.

At home, almost everything, except power, are handled wirelessly (mouse, network). This is often not a problem, try as I might, have a real life outside computers!

Away from the world, I plug in my modem cable. But, now I must stop. Shoot some video, read some books.

...off to the beach. Enjoy!