[hwh]

An MCU is a chip in a package that just cannot interface with anything your consumer PC or notebook comes with. You'll need an adapter in any case.

That said, lots of current MCUs come with UART, I2C and/or USB bootloaders allowing to erase/program (if not disabled). This bootloader is typically included in factory ROM, not to be programmed by you or a third party.

[sidewndr46]

What? Why couldn't an MCU interface with my computer? It's not like it has special electrons or something in it. I regularly program atmega chips with a cable I made that plugs into the parallel port on the back of any computer that has one. If you have a couple GPIO pins on a motherboard, you can probably program almost any MCU with with it.

The only exception is if the motherboard GPIO was say 3.3v and you had a 1.8v only MCU, but level shifters aren't exactly expensive.

[ticklemyelmo]

So do you jam the chip into the parallel port? Or do you...use an adapter?