Bob Axtell <engineer <at> cotse.net> writes:
> I reserve the single front one for flash drive usage. As a result, NO 
> drivers are ever
> unloaded or need to be installed.

If the hotplug driver model would have been implemented correctly there would
have been absolutely no difference in where one plugs the devices in and when.
Only some HID devices are truly hotplug capable USB devices and even those may
bring a system to its knees after trying a couple of times.

As I wrote before, there is no need for the presence of a loaded driver in the
system before an application requires one by trying to open it. This is the
correct answer to the problem, and not the hack provided that increments port
numbers and whatnot. Also, there is no need for the presence of a driver when 
it is not used. Also expecting the end user to choose a driver is not
reasonable. This is the dialog window that windows pops up. There is no point 
in an automated system that requires the monkey to press the button after 
seeing the little lamp light up to get his tasty reward. Such a system is not
called an 'automaton' it is called an 'on demand feeding switch'. Given the 
many choices offered by the popup window I do not wish to call it anything else
(We are going to gum up the system.  Do you wish to feed now or never 
[OK] [NOW] [NEVER]).

What is worrying me is that I keep reading about people describing how they
assign USB ports and hubs and plug things in in order (after each power up) to
ensure that the presumably hotplug capable system is not too hot to handle. 
When the posts are written by experienced engineers I worry more. This must be
the twisted wire and duct tape solution system of the 21st century.

Also the incredible incrementing com port number is really strange. The person
who wrote that should have anticipated that this could get out of hand and set 
a limit after which something more intelligent would have happened (such as
reusing the last port or asking the user about how to handle it).

So, there are non-21st century non-duct tape solutions to the problem.

Peter P.


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