The Curse of the AC adapter
We're moving offices over Easter, and after much cajoling from our office manager, I'm finally clearing out ZDNet UK's lab space. It's hell in there, with more entangled power leads, cat 5 cables and other random bits of tech flotsam, not to mention jetsam, than you can shake a stick at. And I've been shaking some sticks I can tell you.
One thing that strikes me (and I'm sure we've mentioned this before) is the particular hell that is the AC adapter. We have loads of the things, and they invariably (a) are separated from the device they once powered and (b) bear no distinguishing mark to identify their host.
Many will therefore be dispatched for recycling, or wherever PSUs go to die. Inevitably, of course, when we arrive in our new lab some vital bit of gear will be found to be missing its AC adapter, causing much gnashing of teeth.
Other occupants of the recycling pile tell an interesting story of tech archaeology: analogue video leads, serial and parallel cables, CRT monitors, PS/2 mice and keyboards...