Ribbon Cable
physical object
Identifier
2016.2.4.8
Description
A ribbon cable, with what looks like a black 26-pin socket on one end, and on the other a blue 36-pin socket. Ribbon cables were created when engineers figured out how to use silicon rubber to encase a flat cable with multiple same size conductors, which created a less bulky yet flexible wire. Ribbon cables were quite often used with personal computers, printers, and other electronics in the late 20th century due to their low cost and simplicity to make. Colour coding was introduced later to help prevent reverse connections by making it clearer for users which side went where. Ribbon cables that were given rainbow colouring were nicknamed by some the “hippie cable”.
![[BLANK]](https://computermuseum.uwaterloo.ca/media/computermuseum/images/2/56847_ca_object_representations_media_210_medium.jpg)
