USB

The Universal Serial Bus will soon be used for nearly all peripherals instead of the variety you see in the diagram. The computer chip on the main board can automatically recognize any USB device and assign the resources and power that it needs. This avoids the hair-pulling sessions that commonly go with the installation of a new device.

A USB device can be connected or disconnected at any time without having to shut down or reboot the computer.

A USB device can send data at 12 Mbps for devices like scanners and printers or at 1.5 Mbps for keyboards and joysticks.

If you connect a hub to the USB port on the back of the computer, you can then connect up to 127 other USB devices to the hub. They will have to share power and resources, of course, but many can work at the same time. No more problems with running out of connectors!

Most USB cables are 5 meters long (16.5 feet).  This length allows for the signal to get through properly. If you need a longer cable, you can hook up several 5 m. cables and some USB hubs in a chain - up to 25 meters.