Tim wrote: > Tim: >>>> What are you going to do when serial ports disappear from motherboards? > >> >> Or, as a last resort, get a usb->serial port converter. >> > > I was serious in asking it. While I haven't done the serial console > trick, I see the purpose of it, and the need to be able to do such > things. I don't know if a USB-serial doodah would be useful in the > situations where you might use a serial console, you mightn't have > anything available to drive it. > For desktops, you can get a PCI card with serial ports. I have a 2 serial/1 parallel card that works great. They also make PCMCIA/Cardbus serial cards, but they tend to be hard to find, and expensive. If you go the USB to serial route, just remember that the cheap ones don't usually support the status lines, so you have to use software flow control, not hardware flow control. Also, some devices will not work properly without properly functioning hardware flow control. (Windows CE devices for example.) Mikkel -- Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with Ketchup!
