On Dec 30, 16:03, Louis Schulman wrote:
> With all due respect, I disagree. The term "Centronics", whatever its
original meaning, refers to a type of
> connector. Looking at the Jameco catalog, for example, the catalog
pictures 14, 24, 36 and 50 contact
> male and female connectors, all referred to as "Centronics". I have
never heard the term "blue ribbon" used
> to describe these connectors.
>
> My understanding is that Centronics was the first to use this type of
connector on its parallel printers, so
> when it became the standard type connector the name stuck.
No, Tony is correct. Just because a name is commonly (mis)used in a
particular way, doesn't mean it's correct, especially in catalogues. This
discussion has come up before in relation to "DB9" connectors etc. A
Centronics connector is a specific size, 36pins. The other sizes (14, 20,
24, 50, etc) are NOT Centronics connectors. The 24-way is sometimes
referred to as an IEEE-488 connector. Does that make all the other sizes
IEEE-488 connectors too?
The common misuse is fairly recent, too. 50-pin conectors in that shape
have been around for a long time, as SCSI connectors, as telco connectors,
and for datacomms. Only in the last 5-8 years have I seen them referred to
as Centronics.
> BTW, this type of connector, regardless of the number of pins, when made
for ribbon cables, is referred to
> by Jameco as "IDC Centronics Connector".
So they're misusing the term, that's all. If they'd said
"Centronics-style" that would be different.
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
Received on Sun Dec 30 2001 - 16:49:13 GMT