Hello Andy, we were saying ! 

 AB> That is a different kind of mini-DIN to USB adaptor (I use these too,
 AB> for the same reasons that you give).  Mine are small green wedges,
 AB> about half the size of a standard pack of gum.

        That is the one  here too.

 AB> One end is a female USB
 AB> socket that accepts (and presumably only works with) a USB mouse and
 AB> the other is a mini-DIN male that plugs into the computer.

        Ditto !  But this adapter only worked for the mouse.

 AB> My (USB equipped) printer is connected via a traditional Centronics
 AB> parallel cable. USB devices laying around include a video-conferencing
 AB> camera, a flatbed scanner, a 100 Mb Zip drive, a cheap digital still
 AB> camera and card readers for Smartmedia and Memory Stick.  These are
 AB> spread between several machines though. 

        That was my excuse to  get one of these PCI USB card. They
 offered many more connectors as opposed to the generic USB expander
 where another wall-wart is required.

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