[scarface_74]

And this is kind of the point, if HN commenters can’t figure this stuff out, what are the chances that normal people can?

Speaking of which, every time I ask the question about “tell me just from looking at a USB C cord…”, I learn something new.

[smoldesu]

> if HN commenters can’t figure this stuff out, what are the chances that normal people can?

Plugging it in would probably be a good start. I can't name a single time where I've ever mistakenly identified a USB-C cable. Sometimes I've plugged it in when it wasn't connected to the wall, but I think worrying about non-compliant USB-C cables is no more relevant than caring about non-MFI certified Lightning cables.

[scarface_74]

Until you take a USB C cable with you in your laptop bag to connect with your portable USB C external monitor that gets power and video from one USB C cable and find out you have the wrong USB C cable with you.

[smoldesu]

Hate to say it, but it's entirely PEBCAK to not select a Thunderbolt cable when they want DisplayPort alt-mode. It's why the damn cable and marketing even exists in the first place.

99% of people only care about power (and optionally data), so that's what the spec focuses on.

[scarface_74]

And you’re also proving my point. You don’t need a thunderbolt cable to supper video out….

[smoldesu]

Technically you could pipe compressed video over USB 2.0. It's not a part of the base specification though, so I don't see why either of these features are worth bringing up. iOS didn't even support class-compliant USB hardware until last year, so... it's interesting that you'd drill down on that.

Regardless, the fact that DP-Alt-Mode exists is not a refutation of the base USB-C spec. You're either spec compliant or you're not; same as Lightning without the license fee.