> While I complain, I would also like to mention the USB forum's insane naming strategy and non-obvious labeling system.
battered USB-C users: “You don't know him like I do, he really loves me and he says he's gonna release USB 4 and leave all this confusion behind us forever!”
USB-IF: “haha but what if I released usb 4 2.0? … … …”
Like c’mon nobody can deny that they’re absolutely doing this shit on purpose, creating confusing standards makes it easier for the forum members to market older crap and pretend it supports the latest thing without incurring the cost of actually supporting it.
it's extremely extremely concerning that this is the standards body that the EU has given a government monopoly to develop connectors for our devices. This forum does not have consumer interests at heart, at all, they are looking out for their members, not for you. And like an abusive partner, they aren't gonna suddenly wake up one day and change everything... they exist as an organization so that Asus can make 1% more profit on a laptop by using an older usb controller, not to produce good standards that consumers can understand.
Unlike HDMI, there's just no alternative right now. We desperately need "VESA for data connections" and to get the wheel away from the shitters at USB-IF.
If they stopped at USB 3.1 Gen 1 and 2, it’d be forgivable, but then doing USB 3.2 Gens 1, 2, 1x2, and 2x2, then USB4 Gens 2x1, 2x2, 3x1, 3x2, and now USB4 version 2 (what?), it’s hard to give the benefit of the doubt.
<rant>
Being able to market a USB 3.0 cable as USB4 despite only reaching 5 Gb/s is nothing short of incompetence, and almost certainly deceptive. There’s zero reason to rename old speed capabilities when we still refer to USB 480 Mb/s as… 2.0. If every feature of USB4 is optional besides 5 Gb/s, what’s the purpose of being able to call something “USB4 compatible” besides marketing?
It’s the same reason HDMI 2.0 is now 2.1! Because almost every feature that’s new in 2.1 is optional. A few months ago, the media went crazy about Apple listing their new MacBook as supporting HDMI 2.0 when 2.1 had been out for a while, but it turned out they were just being more honest.
battered USB-C users: “You don't know him like I do, he really loves me and he says he's gonna release USB 4 and leave all this confusion behind us forever!”
USB-IF: “haha but what if I released usb 4 2.0? … … …”
Like c’mon nobody can deny that they’re absolutely doing this shit on purpose, creating confusing standards makes it easier for the forum members to market older crap and pretend it supports the latest thing without incurring the cost of actually supporting it.
it's extremely extremely concerning that this is the standards body that the EU has given a government monopoly to develop connectors for our devices. This forum does not have consumer interests at heart, at all, they are looking out for their members, not for you. And like an abusive partner, they aren't gonna suddenly wake up one day and change everything... they exist as an organization so that Asus can make 1% more profit on a laptop by using an older usb controller, not to produce good standards that consumers can understand.
Unlike HDMI, there's just no alternative right now. We desperately need "VESA for data connections" and to get the wheel away from the shitters at USB-IF.