Hello all.

It's been a while. I need beginner texts into how to read data from a port (possibly serial) on my computer. The idea is that I write a back end that reads the data from a web cam or digital camera connected to the port and is saved in a file on the computer.
I'm going to google this info but I want ideas from all you geniuses on here that may speed up my task.
Thanx y'all