pin identification

Hi All,

Why, oh why don't they make the DB25 non-symmetrical so that it is
impossible to get the pins mixed-up?

Don't know if this is a simple straight-forward matter not deserving
of much attention, or whether it is a common difficulty for newbies
just dipping their toes into computer and motor driver connectors and
therefore deserving some elaboration for relative newcomers. BUT IS
THERE A FOOL-PROOFED METHOD OF IDENTIFYING THE PINS ON A DB25
CONNECTOR?

Is this how we should approach it? Viewing from the side opposite the
solder end, 13 pins on top, 12 pins on bottom:

Female DB25 connector.
Pin 1: top rightmost pin
pin 13: top leftmost pin
pin 14: bottom rightmost pin, below pin 1
pin 25: bottom leftmost pin, below pin 13

Male DB25 connector:
Pin 1: top leftmost pin
pin 13: top rightmost pin
pin 14: bottom leftmost pin, below pin 1
pin 25: bottom rightmost pin, below pin 13

And this would be the way to identify the pins IRRESPECTIVE of
whether the connector is on the back of the computer, motor driver,
cable, whatever?

Is there anything wrong with the above description? If the above is
wrong, hope someone will quickly point it out.

Peter