[sixothree]

> They're not advertising meaningless version numbers anymore

USB IF is the only party responsible for making version numbers meaningless. They are _extremely_ useful for other hardware products - HDMI, DisplayPort, WiFi, etc.

There are scenarios where they would be useful. But USB IF decided to make them meaningless on purpose.

Everything about their history related to version numbers seems anti-consumer to me. Intentionally obfuscating capabilities and confusing consumers was a terrible idea.

[blkhawk]

Yes, it pretty much started when they decided not to "confuse" consumers the first time with USB 2.0. Claiming said fear they made all the USB 1.1 Devices USB 2 just with a different speed name. That way you could have USB 2.0 Mice and Keyboards.

So you had USB-Low Speed for keyboards and mice and USB Full Speed for Full Speed and Hi Speed for High Speed (later Super speed for speed that was just super).

Not confusing at all and it resulted in a time when you had to actually be darn careful not to get a USB 2.0 "full speed USB Hub" or other device. Later the same thing happened with regards to USB 3 a few years later.

Manufacturers making these (for a time until the relevant usb3 parts become too cheap to bother with these near fakes) always pop up.

At this point it will be a long painful process to replace all the hardware that doesn't follow the new scheme and USB version numbers could have been the much simpler solution.

One thing missing from their specs is the glut of "Power only" cables on the market. By failing to giving recommendation there Chinese manufacturers will all just do whatever - Probably abusing the High-Speed based labeling and that will pollute those and again cause confusion.

How hard is it to give them a symbol to print on their shitty power cables so people don't have to buy a cable tester?