Missile guidance control system recommendations needed...

Okay slightly off topic rant, but can anyone tell me WHY one would need two serial ports on a ruggedized laptop!? Other than for missile launch control or automated suppression fire systems? In my hunt for Toughbook bits, I found a Getac B300 for silly cheap. And I noticed dual serial ports on the back. SUPER cool for a geek like me, but outdated and impractical.

Backstory: About once every year or two I get bored and look for a new Toughbook to poke at, or sell one, then replace it. Always in the hunt for the next greatest. Oddly, I am always justifying this as looking for the upgrade to my beaten and battered CF-19 MK1. But I never let it go. I love that thing. Still going 13yrs later!!! I always end up with a newer Toughbook, but usually get bored with it and just use the old faithful MK1.

About 20yrs ago when I started tuning cars, I actually went through serious trouble a couple times to get dual RS232 serial ports. Or spent silly money a few times on laptops that only had one, and bought a card to get a second one.

But the days are almost over when I still need ONE serial port. Before some of the tuning tools and data logging systems actually used serial ports. And all the ECUs I was tuning required serial ports. Now a lot of the systems don't even still have serial ports on them.

Fortunately for me, Toughbooks still have one. I rarely use it, but it is there. I have a couple tools that take it still. Some chip burners and now and then an older Megasquirt.

The Getac B300 is an interesting machine. And it appears cheap too, until you discover it doesn't include the caddy in most online auctions. That you have to get separately, and it looks to be almost twice the cost the machines are going for. No thanks.

I do get tempted by other Ruggedized computers. But once you look closer that just don't add up to a Toughbook.