I wanted compatibility with Linux mainly. I remember having a PC card sticking out the side and an Ethernet jack on that, it wasn't the best (though with PC cards I also had the type that had a dongle and the connector was terribly easy to break because it was so thin for a type II).Of course it'll be fine on Windows, it also works with OS X. I'm guessing they went against that route because bulky Ethernet cables would be rough to manage on the side of a laptop. There's a green LED for link/activity.One could argue against the 4-5' cord and having it just a jack attached to the USB connector against your computer, more like a WiFi adapter usually looks. It has a smart design of tucking the 4-5' cord away underneath itself and plugging up the USB connector and Ethernet jack for protection at the same time, as long as you don't lose the clip which accomplishes that. Maybe because it is brand-name it is a bit higher price than it should be, not the best deal but there isn't a lot to choose from for Ethernet USB adapters (NCIX or elsewhere).As far as a network adapter goes, this thing works just fine as you would expect, no surprises.Aesthetically this is a pretty typical shiny black dongle.

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