My first PC was a Timex Sinclair 1000 and I wrote a text-based choose your own adventure game in basic for it and saved the program on audio cassette.
this post was submitted on 12 Aug 2025
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Are these not still in use?
I've not built a tower in a few years granted, but the last one I built had PS2 ports. Heck it even had VGA for the onboard graphics.
They are. Lots of motherboards still include these.There are a lot of special PS/2 input devices that are still around in business/industrial settings and gamers sometimes need them for use with flight sticks, steering wheels, mechanical keyboards etc.
Usually it's a combo port now instead of a separate port for keyboard/mouse.
i have a gaming pc built this decade that has both of those ports dude
People knew what I meant when I would verbally say PS/2 in conversation, then people started thinking they were USB because that's what was used in their PlayStation 2
I'm this old
The ol' RS232?
No, this is the rs232 connector (officially the DB9)
Shit. I know what this is. Goddammit.
Sorry bro
An elegant port for a more civilized time
Nothing civilized about no hot plugging. Had to restart the whole damn computer, if the cable was loose or out at startup.
I loved the PCs that had Ctrl + up as a shortcut to flip the monitor orientation. I think it was a Dell thing?
My favourite prank was to flip the screen upside down then unplug the keyboard. Good luck saving your work fuck face
Ok Satan
I actually wanted a PS2 port because it works with interrupts rather than polling but they aren't really included anymore.
I feel like they don't make boards for people like me who want small boards with a super niche port.
When a MoDT Mini-ITX board comes out with a PS2 port I will buy that instantly
Listen up, computer, I'm typing NOW. Not whenever you get around to polling the USB device. Sheesh.
My keyboard still uses a PS/2 port via adapter. 1986 Model M, still clicky.
This reminds me when a mouse was an option not a requirement
still is
/i3gang
DEFINITELY optional
go go gadget commandline
"do you know what ps/2 ports are?"
"holy cow, PlayStation 2? you must be AT LEAST 25!"
[dying inside intensifies]
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I remember a time when they weren't colour coded...
My brother in Christ, I also used this
And I'm 17
the computers at my first school still used ps/2 regularly when i went there and im 15.....
old
You guys had keyboards? 
I tried to explain these ports to a salesperson at micro center, and they have me the dull cow stare.
I was looking at some PC's at Best Buy and a salesman came up to try and give me the hard sell. I asked if I could buy the PC without Windows on it for a discount.
"How would you use your computer without Windows on it?"
"I'm going to install Linux"
"What's that?"
"It's an operating system"
Blank stare
"Like Windows or OS X..."
Blank Stare
Sigh "I already have a copy of Windows at home"
"Oh! Well I don't think you can do that, no."
To be honest, I think that was probably to appropriate response. Information about ps/2 is not really relevant to them or any customer that they are going to help
I said the real two genders.
There where three. The full din keyboard plug, serial for your mouse and that unholy thing on the back of your sound blaster on which you could connect a joystick.
Somewhere in my giant box of cables I have an adapter for attaching MIDI cables to the joystick port. When I actually used a MIDI keyboard with it, I had... variable success.
The first time I had a MIDI keyboard that just worked, it used USB as transport. (And it has worked great since. I think it's the only USB Mini plug device device I still regularly use.)
Crazy thing is, MIDI is absolutely ancient. You'd imagine it'd work fine on the gameports, but nope. Legacy PC ports are cursed. Except audio jacks and serial ports, and VGA if you're really into screwing things in place.
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I'm fine., thanks.
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