[X4U] FireWire vs. USB 2.0

[Hector Luna]

I don't know about purposely crippling, but I do know that USB was
created as replacement bus for PS/2 devices. It was meant for
keyboards and mice. I know that if you put a USB 1.2 device on a USB 2
bus, the speed drops down to USB 1.2 and I know that when given an
choice between USB and IEEE 1394, I will go w/ FireWire every single
time...

On 5/26/05, Randy B. Singer <randy at macattorney.com> wrote:
> DZ-Jay said:
> 
> >Quick question:  Which is faster/more reliable/better, FireWire or USB
> >2.0.  My new external drive comes with an option for both.  At the
> >moment, I'm using it with FireWire -- but this decision was highly
> >unscientific, as it was based solely on "FireWire" sounding much cooler
> >than "USB 2.0" :)
> 
> 
> On a Macintosh, at least using built-in USB 2.0 on the most recent Macs,
> USB 2.0 is about half the speed of FireWire and also about half the speed
> of USB 2.0 running on a Windows PC.  Some folks have gone so far as to
> accuse Apple of purposely crippling USB 2.0 on the Macintosh.
> 
> See the note at the bottom of:
> http://forums.xlr8yourmac.com/action.lasso?-database=faq.fp3&-layout=FaqLis
> t&-response=answer.faq.lasso&-recordID=33290&-search
> 
> Also see:
> http://www.barefeats.com/usb2.html
> 
> I have no idea how well USB 2.0 works if you have an added USB 2.0 PCI
> card.  But it seems to me that it be best to go with FireWire instead of
> USB 2.0.
> 
> Interestingly, from what I've read, FireWire on a PC is about half the
> speed of FireWire on a Macintosh.  With folks accusing Microsoft of
> crippling FireWire on the PC.
> 
> Another issue comes to mind.  Can one boot from a USB 2.0 drive?  Apple
> has never supported booting from a USB 1.1 drive:
> http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106474
> 
> 
> 
> Randy B. Singer
> Co-Author of: The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th and 6th editions)
> 
> Routine OS X Maintenance and Generic Troubleshooting
> http://www.macattorney.com/ts.html
> 
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-- 
You got three pair. You can't have three pair. You can't have six
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