# Black on black crime, jack **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 27, 2021, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-on-black-crime-jack/955024 "2021-11-27T13:10:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-on-black-crime-jack/955024/1 "2021-11-27T13:10:18Z")
I find it criminal that all of my devices have a jack that is in the middle of a black background, making it impossible to find the spot to plug in my UBS cord, or power cord or whatever in a dimly lit room. You would imagine that someone, at some early testing point, might have suggested, “Um, if you guys would put a small white circle around the jack, people could actually, you know, FIND the friggen thing in dim light.” It’s not as though that tiny white-colored circle would have been expensive or difficult to provide, is it? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-on-black-crime-jack/955024/2 "2021-11-27T13:15:40Z")
Aesthetics, of course. I’ve learned to plug n my tablet by feel because that tiny little slot on that narrow black edge doesn’t leap out for my tired, old eyes. And on the rare occasions I use my husband’s laptop, I get to play _find-the-power-input_ before I start. Blame the young whippersnapper designers with their clear eyesight! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-on-black-crime-jack/955024/3 "2021-11-27T13:24:03Z")
As stated, most people can do it by feel. Besides, if the room is dark enough that you can’t see where it gets plugged in, it’s likely dark enough that adding a white outline or a dot isn’t going to make a difference. What would, however, make a difference is if they’d add a very, very dim light either near it, or better yet, outlining it. I recently picked up some new USB-C cords because my (new) current phone came with a USB-C port and new charging cords. They each have a small LED on the end of them. Presumably to help either plug them in or find them in the dark. Granted, it makes it slightly easier to find them in the dark, but the problem is, since the light is on the side (like, where the USB symbol is), it really doesn’t help much with figuring out where to plug it in. What would work better, IMO, would be if the light was on the end. Both because it would be like a little tiny flashlight and, more importantly, when the charger was plugged in, the light would be up against the phone where you couldn’t see it\*. As it stands, all this really is, is another LED 2 feet from my face all night. A piece of tape was placed over the LED after using it for the first time. \*As an alternative, the light could also be set to turn off when a device is plugged in, as most people don’t need an LED to find their phone in the dark. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-on-black-crime-jack/955024/4 "2021-11-27T15:43:19Z")
Famous Dad Quote: _“Put a little hair around it!”_ ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-on-black-crime-jack/955024/5 "2021-11-28T11:43:46Z")
My computer (desktop) is like that. Previous one has a silvery front panel but this one’s all black. It’s on the floor, under a desk, and I usually have to fumble around to find the damn USB ports. For years, I’ve been meaning to buy some correction fluid (liquid paper) to paint a little outline or at least a couple of dots. Now that I’m thinking about it, and today being Sunday, maybe I’ll just apply very thin strips of masking tape. That oughta do it. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > …it’s likely dark enough that adding a white outline or a dot isn’t going to make a difference. In my case, the problem isn’t so much the lack of direct light but that I often can’t distinguish any of the features on the front panel unless it’s reflecting light from a nearby window or some other source. It just looks solid black and featureless because there’s no contrast between the ports and the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-on-black-crime-jack/955024/6 "2021-11-28T12:32:34Z")
And cables are always black. Can’t we have a choice of colors? I have a mass of black cables leading towards my power bars, and it’s always a pain trying to quickly figure out which goes where. ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-on-black-crime-jack/955024/7 "2021-11-28T13:15:08Z")
> [@Mark\_Finn](#): > > Can’t we have a choice of colors? Yes, this is the sort of simple, painless, cost-free option widely available to the mfrs (manufacturers, though I can think of a different de-abbreviation of “mfrs”) who make these things. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-on-black-crime-jack/955024/8 "2021-11-28T14:46:34Z")
This thread title feels icky. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-on-black-crime-jack/955024/9 "2021-11-28T23:54:06Z")
I keep saying I’m going to put white label stickers next to all the jacks on my next device, but I never do. I have a really bright flashlight, but that only helps so much. Even on the front panels of stereo gear, the tiny words are grey on black. (Long, loud, wordless expression of exasperation…) ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-on-black-crime-jack/955024/10 "2021-11-29T02:13:32Z")
I have paint markers in various colors. I mark the buttons I use most on all my remotes.