Regarding ships, a port is the entire operation on land, while a dock is just the structure against which the vessel is secured. A sailor would never conflate port and dock. Similarly, when discussing computers, do not conflate port and connector. They’re different:
* A connector is just the single electrical components that makes the connection (a plug, a PCB header, fig. 1.21a) * A port is the complete interface: electrical specification, signaling, state machine, communication protocol, data rate, software drivers, driver electronics, connectors, etc. (fig. 1.21b)
Let me illustrate that with examples ports using D-sub connectors:
* Different ports, same connector: a DE-9 connector can be used for various ports, such as RS-232 (fig. 1.21c), CAN bus (fig. 1.21d), and keyboard (fig. 1.21e) * Same port, different connectors: an RS-232 port can use various connectors, such as a DE-9 connector (fig. 1.21e) or a DB-25 connector (fig. 1.21f); a CAN bus port can use a DE-9 connector (fig. 1.21d), a D-shell connector (fig. 1.21g) or a terminal block; a keyboard port can use a DE-9 connector (fig. 1.21e) or a Mini-DIN connector (fig. 1.21h)
Regarding ships, a port is the entire operation on land, while a dock is just the structure against which the vessel is secured. A sailor would never conflate port and dock.
Similarly, when discussing computers, do not conflate port and connector. They’re different:
* A connector is just the single electrical components that makes the connection (a plug, a PCB header, fig. 1.21a)
* A port is the complete interface: electrical specification, signaling, state machine, communication protocol, data rate, software drivers, driver electronics, connectors, etc. (fig. 1.21b)
Let me illustrate that with examples ports using D-sub connectors:
* Different ports, same connector: a DE-9 connector can be used for various ports, such as RS-232 (fig. 1.21c), CAN bus (fig. 1.21d), and keyboard (fig. 1.21e)
* Same port, different connectors: an RS-232 port can use various connectors, such as a DE-9 connector (fig. 1.21e) or a DB-25 connector (fig. 1.21f); a CAN bus port can use a DE-9 connector (fig. 1.21d), a D-shell connector (fig. 1.21g) or a terminal block; a keyboard port can use a DE-9 connector (fig. 1.21e) or a Mini-DIN connector (fig. 1.21h)
Therefore, port ≠ connector.