[TenTec] Legacy port elimination plan

[Ken N9VV]

Have you seen the initiative to eliminate RS232 along with 
other "legacy ports"? it seems to have started in 1999.
Many vendors have joined the taskforce and implemented the 
specification. Most new laptops have no serial port at all.

http://www.bb-elec.com/tech_articles/diappearing_com_ports.asp
and
http://developer.intel.com/technology/easeofuse/technotes/spec.htm
and
ftp://download.intel.com/technology/easeofuse/LPC_mod_spec72.pdf

Among the SDR-1000 community they have eliminated dependency 
  on the parallel port with a USB to parallel interface. The 
dependency on Serial comm has been programmed into a 
Virtual-Com-Port (for digi programs for example) by Phil N8VB.

de Ken N9VV