Differences between version 3 and revision by previous author of Dongle.
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| Newer page: | version 3 | Last edited on Tuesday, November 2, 2004 4:50:46 am | by AristotlePagaltzis | Revert |
| Older page: | version 1 | Last edited on Sunday, April 18, 2004 2:41:03 am | by StuartYeates | Revert |
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
-A small piece of custom hardware attached
to a computer for some special
purpose.
+A small piece of custom [Hardware] attachable
to a computer to perform a narrowly defined task. [Dongle]s do not contain general-
purpose [CPU], memory or [I/O] facilities
.
-Original
the domain of copy-protection features
for high-end applications [Dongle]s have fallen from favour for copy-protection
, but are re-inventing themselves as
[RandomNumberGenerator
]s, secure key stores in cryptographic systems and so forth
.
+In
the 1980s and 1990s the term described [RS232] or [LPT] attached appliances acting as CopyProtection
for high-end applications.
[Dongle]s in this capacity acquired the image of being unwanted liabilities, not only because of their purpose
, but also because of a whole slew of technical problems. They either took up a precious port or caused problems with other devices connected thru them. It was usually impossible to daisychain
[Dongle
]s, should several applications require them. As if all that was not enough, their connectors would often start failing within short time if un/plugged too often. As a result, these days CopyProtection [Dongle]s are a rare sight
.
-If a device contains general-purpose functionality, such
as a general-purpose
[CPU
], general-purpose memory or some IO facitilities then it'
s not a dongle
, since the defining characteristic of the dongle is it's specialisation.
-
-the 1980s and 1990s
, dongles had serial interfaces, but most modern dongles are [USB] [Dongle]s
.
+The term however is being recycled
as for
[USB
] attached
, highly specialized devices, often containing RandomNumberGenerator~
s, secure key stores
in cryptographic systems
, or suchlike
.
----
CategoryHardware
