>I keep running into the same problem whenever I use
>someone's USB to serial converter:
>
>All chips, even "identical" chips from same manufactuer / lot,
>have a unique *SERIAL NUMBER*.
>
>All the drivers check for *SERIAL NUMBER* as well as USB CID.
>
>If it sees a different *SERIAL NUMBER*, it insists on
>installing yet another driver for the "new hardware".
>
>So, if you ever need to use a different "identical" piece
>of hardware, drivers must be installed.

Hmm, I can see you haven't been through the pain of using a converter 
without a serial number that hasn't been through the proper 'safe to remove' 
motions, and every time you plug it in it wants to be a new com port.

At least with the FTDI chip with serial number, I KNOW that a given 
converter is going to come up with the same com port number each time.

And IIRC every time I have installed a new device, if it is same make, but 
different serial number to one already there, it asks if I want to install a 
new driver or use the existing driver. 

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