The really irritating thing here is that the USB spec does actually state exactly which way up the connector should go - the USB logo should be stamped on the top of the connector.
But a lot of manufacturers ignore it - in fact, a lot of manufacturers ignore much of the spec, which means that there is a lot of fairly dodgy USB equipment out there.
When it comes to the USB/FireWire debate:
USB devices are extremely simple. This makes device (and hub) software and hardware is easy to implement, which in turn means that there are many very cheap and very useful USB devices available - it's a near-perfect replacement for that previous cheap'n'cheerful connection - RS232.
This cheapness means that anybody can make USB things - there are many off-the-shelf chips that just 'do' USB, both hubs and devices.
USB hosts are more complex, but that's ok because people don't mind paying lots of money for a PC that has USB, because it's a PC.
FireWire on the other hand, is very complex. FireWire devices can also act as hosts, and they need complex, almost network-like software and hardware.
This is expensive, and means that only expensive kit can have it.
This means that for the high-end HDD and video functionality, FireWire wins.
But for the ubquitous, cheap, random 'stuff' that people find useful, USB is perfect.
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USB connectors...
The really irritating thing here is that the USB spec does actually state exactly which way up the connector should go - the USB logo should be stamped on the top of the connector.
But a lot of manufacturers ignore it - in fact, a lot of manufacturers ignore much of the spec, which means that there is a lot of fairly dodgy USB equipment out there.
When it comes to the USB/FireWire debate:
USB devices are extremely simple. This makes device (and hub) software and hardware is easy to implement, which in turn means that there are many very cheap and very useful USB devices available - it's a near-perfect replacement for that previous cheap'n'cheerful connection - RS232.
This cheapness means that anybody can make USB things - there are many off-the-shelf chips that just 'do' USB, both hubs and devices.
USB hosts are more complex, but that's ok because people don't mind paying lots of money for a PC that has USB, because it's a PC.
FireWire on the other hand, is very complex. FireWire devices can also act as hosts, and they need complex, almost network-like software and hardware.
This is expensive, and means that only expensive kit can have it.
This means that for the high-end HDD and video functionality, FireWire wins.
But for the ubquitous, cheap, random 'stuff' that people find useful, USB is perfect.