# Does anyone still use parallel ports? For what? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 3, 2006, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-still-use-parallel-ports-for-what/378946 "2006-11-03T06:56:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-still-use-parallel-ports-for-what/378946/21 "2006-11-04T04:12:47Z")
[QUOTE=kanicbird] (do they make a USB to parallel converter?) [/QUOTE] [(yes!)](http://sewelldirect.com/usbtoparallel.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-still-use-parallel-ports-for-what/378946/22 "2006-11-04T04:29:29Z")
[QUOTE=El\_Kabong] Likewise, one of the data acquisition systems my company uses in the field is a veritable museum of bizarre interface choices. The main real-time computer in the system does not use the parallel port for printing; instead the port is used to drive a little box containing an audible alarm and warning light. Why? 'Cause back in the day, computer speakers were not loud enough for anyone to hear a system alarm when it went off. [/QUOTE] Actually, you’re thinking of the mouse port which connects to the EAB. 😉 Anyhoo, my new employer uses a [dongle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dongle) which can only connect through a parallel port ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-still-use-parallel-ports-for-what/378946/23 "2006-11-04T04:35:02Z")
I use the one on my desktop system for a dongle for Cubase. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-still-use-parallel-ports-for-what/378946.md?page=1)