USB Stuff

[Tony Duell]

> 
> >> [...] a motorized USB "Aquarium" [...]
> > Whule I can see the point of taking power from the computer for an
> > interface converter, keyboard, mouse, something like that, wouldn't
> > it be simpler if devices like the aquarium, light, etc had their own
> > mains adapters?
> 
> Yes, but it would tie them to the mains.

You are seriously suggestingthat the fake aquarium is a portable device? 
Why would anyone want to carry one around with them?

> 
> > Or is a computer now regarded as simpler than a 5V PSU?
> 
> Not simpler, but in a lot of cases more portable.

As regards a light, I use this simple devic containg 4 components. A 
couple of AA-size primary cells, a tungsten filament lamp, and a swtich. 
Even I can keep one of those going :-).

Should I need a portable 5V power supply, I am quite sure I can design 
one using whatever rechargeable battery is around, and it would be a lot 
simpler than a computer...

> You may not use laptops enough to think of them, but there are a lot of
> people who border on attached at the hip to theirs.  They may not have
> a mains outlet handy, but they *always* have a powered USB port handy.

Oh, I do use laptops. Just not PC compatible ones, and certainly not ones 
with a USB port. I'll even admit to using the 5V line on the barcode 
reader port of my M100 to power a little hardware hack...

-tony