Ever plugged a USB in wrong? Of course you have. Here’s why.

NPR:

For years, Internet users have been griping about the USB, or Universal Serial Bus, and its maddening difficulty to plug in right, even creating memes about the commonly shared experience. Some call it the USB paradox, the seemingly impossible process of making a 50-50 guess wrong twice.

Ajay Bhatt led the team at Intel that created the USB — a near-ubiquitous connection interface that allows users to plug mice, iPods, printers, thumb drives and other devices into a computer. He recognizes that the model has led to frustration.

“The biggest annoyance is reversibility,” Bhatt told NPR. Nonetheless, he stands by his design.

Obviously, it’s a design decision but it’s still frustrating.