Short takes: Three interesting reader-submitted Q&As

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LANGALIST By Fred Langa In today’s first item, a subscriber asks for help after experiencing a bizarre partial keyboard failure, but the diagnosis is
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European-style wiring includes a switch on the socket/outlet itself

Err, this is British-style wiring. For the rest of Europe, wall outlets are not switched by default.

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doriel, WSDKS01

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The question is interesting but the answer is incomplete. In North American households, the challenge is the cumulative load of what is called “Phantom Power” . This can include digital displays, charging units and even “quick on” features, not to mention heating and cooling systems.

 

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Regarding the bizarre keyboard issue, I’ve encountered a similar one with the mouse on one computer, several times with quite long intervals. If it was just a connection issue, unplugging and replugging should have helped. Even more so by connecting the mouse to another USB port. But it wasn’t that simple!

The fix really required another mouse similarly to the new keyboard in the original question. After plugging in another mouse the original mouse started working in any USB port, before that no port would do. My guess is that the culprit is some sort of a brown-out either for the mouse or the USB ports. A new device then somehow resets the system on that very part.

 

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