Jon,

There are quite a few notices regarding PC Serial ports failing upon the Web. If you want to search for these it is in regard to PALM Pilots. There is even a class action suit against PALM regarding what is being described as a "static" discharge causing failure of PC serial ports when connecting the PALM devices. My PALM has been ok so far (ofcourse i use it in a static controlled environment).

I also had a HP Serial Port just fail that was subject to connecting and disconnecting to various projects which i "chalked up" was a static discharge problem not based upon evidence per se, but just a guess it might as well have been probalistic mortality.

regards,
p