Do they still make laptops where you can plug most everything in in the BACK?

well most things have USB's and USB adapters...

otherwise you would usually have to get a docking station for those other desktop like connectors...

Now we have female laptops as well in markets :-)

you know , variety... ;)

Yes but the Dell LAttitude D series had 2 or 3 USB2.0 jacks in the back with 1 on the side, now with the E series, all USB is on the coffee spilling side or the inthewayofthemouse side.  

Like everything is improving in the world
when a laptop is designed, the convenience for use is also kept in mind, so i think it is very convenient that only power and vga cables are at back , rest are at sides or front ....

well that's poor design, or maybe great design to get as much as they could in with limited space.   maybe someone complained about usb's always being in back, so they placed them in front so that if you liked the design, you would buy this model, if you don't you would buy another model.  I understand your pain.  i would look at a docking station in this case or a wireless mouse.

well USB ports support a lot of devices, Flash Memory sticks, keyboard, mouse, speakers, modems, etc

So, thats the case... :-)

see these thin docking stations...replicates usb ports...in back though...doesn't look overly heavy...not full sized...

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Docking_Station/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=430-3114

Of all the laptops that I've found, none of them have the VGA or Power plug in in the back. In fact the only laptop I've found with ANY jacks in the back are Ethernet jacks in the Lattitude E series. Also do they even MAKE docking stations anymore? I haven't seen any new ones. Port replicators*, yes, but no docking stations

(*which are really nothing more than USB hubs that happen to have a WiFi, NIC, and Paralel Port adapter already plugged in)

I mean I have more than a few customers who care about this and aren't in love with using a port replicator. In an economy where businesses wink out left and right like birthday candles in a storm, it's just hard to believe that their attitude is "customers? Bah! Who cares!"

Unless there IS some demand for USB, VGA, Power, eSATA, Firewire, HDMI, etc to be on the sides, but frankly I really don't think anyone cares where those plugs are, except for those who want them in back. I guess only time will tell if people are comfortable with that or not. I just hope it's not a case where people just think "well, that's how they make them" and just abdicate any kind of customer authority.

OK so they do make docking stations. .. tho i think if i went to my customers with that they'd be all "i might as well have a desktop computer with all this mess. Still, good to see these haven't become extinct yet.

tell your customers to next time let you pick the model of laptop they are leasing so at least you can ask them the right question - (basically ask the higher ups the features they would like) - and then they won't run into this problem.  

Um, that's what I'm doing now.

 I'm shopping for new laptops them, they want a laptop with backports, noone sells any.

funny...i thought they started complaining AFTER the fact...

does it have to be dell?

This makes the most sense, especially since it's been my experience as a tech, and as a laptop owner, that the rear ports are the first to be damaged, ESPECIALLY the power jack which you can't exactly find a work-around for like the others.

We'll just bite the bullet on this one and use right-angle USB adapters like they have at NewEgg and CyberGuys.

Thanks much!!