I think the big reason for LP is simplicity. One type of plug and cable to connect everything: The monitor, the printer, the external HDs, even the keyboard and mouse eventually. You won't need to worry whether you need a system with 3 USB and 2 FW and 1eSata, or 4 USB, 1 FW and an ethernet, etc. Then making sure you have enough cables of sufficient length on hand....
On the system side, Yes. One port can connect to multiple devices (with the proper bridge chip in the path).
Where the simplicity dissappears, is on the device side, as you'd need various bridge devices for peripherals to interface with LP (USB to LP, FW to LP, SATA to LP, Mini DisplayPort to LP,....). Perhaps there will be multi-interface Hubs, but who knows right now.
This would simplify a bit over time, but not initially (once peripherals contain the necessary bridge chip, you'd only need an LP Hub).
And there's still the clutter from all the external peripherals anyway, just as it is now (apparently Apple doesn't mind this one bit, as there's the marketing and design angles). This can also "pad" ye olde bottom line from peripheral sales (i.e. $100 dual link DVI to MDP adapter rings a bell).
Apple will love the simplicity of a machine with 2 LP ports - period. One for the monitor, and one for the hub that other things plug into.
I expect so, as not only do they get to advertise it as "Look, our systems are simpler/cleaner,..., it could reduce the costs to manufacture them; cheaper component cost per board). It will also fit their design motif (small foot print, thin, ...).
I already have my printer on ethernet - just for the distance factor it gives me. It's not that far away, just behind me and to the left. But too far for USB. So I ran an ethernet cable around, behind the shelves. I'd love to move the computer about 6 feet - but I'm limited by the length of a USB cable one way, and the video cable the other way.
I understand your predicament. I'm just not that certian as to how common it is.
Please understand, in terms of a workstation, the system is usually close enough to the monitor a standard DVI, or DisplayPort cable will reach the monitor on the desk. As is the USB cable from the keyboard to the system (though they do seem to be getting shorter to cut costs.... cheap B@stards).
I also run Ethernet to printers, but that doesn't dictate where the workstation, desk, monitor, and keyboard sit physically (don't go for wireless for security reasons; I've actually disabled it in the networking gear).
USB and other interfaces for consumer printers do have tighter distance limitations (5m for USB, 10m for BT, and 32/95m for WiFi indoor/outdoor specifications respectively, though it can exceed that).
I can the bridge technology being a LP cable that runs to a hub with 4 or 6 USB ports. Heck, if the hub had a couple of ethernet ports and an external optical drive (which Apple sells) I would swap my Mac Pro for an LP-only tower tomorrow
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It's possible there'd be a multi-interface Hub, but you're still dealing with a mess in terms of cables and devices consuming surface space on the work surface. Just as it is now (especially for the Mac owners that aren't running MP's).
Where LP has a significant advantage, is bandwidth. Storage could get a significant boost, though I suspect most users' bandwidth consumption will be from graphics on the consumer side.
Think about the economics. Apple would save the cost of adding the optical drive ($3 to $5, perhaps?) and then sell you a $79 Superdrive instead. We as consumers might not like it, but Apple would love it. Clean computer. Extra markup.
I'm not discounting this sort of approach, but it's a decision based purely on their bottom line. No benefit for the user in the end (they're spending more money, and still likely have a cluttered mess for low bandwidth items; high bandwidth, is another story).
It would fit the iMac, Mini, and portable systems especially well (Apple's bottom line POV and design tastes), and I expect they'll go for it.
