[old_tv_nut]

"Standards are wonderful things - that's why we have so many of them."

Attending TV standards (ironic, isn't it?) committee meetings in various countries was an adventure in plug compatibility, sometimes resulting in stacks of physical converter plugs to finally arrive at the needed socket. Plus, my early laptop didn't have a universal supply, so a voltage converter was needed as well. Connecting a dial-up modem could also be interesting. Some people carried clip leads and would open up the phone jack plate to be able to connect.