A couple of years ago I designed a measuring product.  My box connects
to a PC to do user interface and higher math functions, and the PC then
outputs the computed data to a recording device, usually another PC.
This existing system uses RS232 for both data links box<>PC and
PC<>recorder.  This works fine with rack mounted industrial PCs.
        Now customers want to use my box with a laptop.  The laptop is ideal
except for one problem.  I can't find one with two RS232 ports!  For the
short term there are a few kludgy fixes, but I want to know what I
should do in the long term?  If I redesign my box what I/O should I use?
 The options I see are:

GPIB            Archaic, difficult, not available on common laptops
USB             Windows-centric, hard to make a non-PC based master if I needed one
Firewire        ??? I know almost nothing about it
Ethernet        Seems capable, stable, available on uPs (but not PIC) and
laptops
Bluetooth       Bleeding edge technology, no need for wireless

        Is there anything I have overlooked?  Is Ethernet a clear winner?

Sherpa Doug

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