> Audio jacks were the only ports that didn't have a direction back then.
On computers perhaps. There were plenty of round connectors in other uses though, e.g. Edison screw, Belling-Lee (TV/FM connectors), RCA, BNC, type C and type N RF, TOSLINK, etc.
Most of those wouldn't have been much use for a computer serial port though. Something like TOSLINK, with power and optic fibre would have been great. Too expensive at the time I think. But a round TRRP-style jack would have worked and been cheap.
Agree that USB-A was much better than the existing alternatives though.
On computers perhaps. There were plenty of round connectors in other uses though, e.g. Edison screw, Belling-Lee (TV/FM connectors), RCA, BNC, type C and type N RF, TOSLINK, etc.
Most of those wouldn't have been much use for a computer serial port though. Something like TOSLINK, with power and optic fibre would have been great. Too expensive at the time I think. But a round TRRP-style jack would have worked and been cheap.
Agree that USB-A was much better than the existing alternatives though.