Re: Why all computer casing & cables are black?

On Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:48:16 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Jul 2026 18:38:14 +0100, Brian Gregory
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>On 11/07/2026 12:18, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
>>> On 7/11/2026 11:32 AM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
>>>>
>>>> You might be looking at the casing and cables in the dark.  Without
>>>> light, what's left is dark.  Try turning on a light.
>>>> ....
>>>> If you're wearing smart glasses or auto-darkening welding goggles,
>>>> check if it's turned on, properly adjusted and if the battery is fully
>>>> charged.
>>> 
>>> Why isn't the default color WHITE? Or red? Why black? :)
>>> 
>>
>>It used not to be black.
>
>I beg to differ.  All the early POTS phones were black.  In 1959, Ma
>Bell introduces the "princess" in a multitude of colors.  It was
>mostly a flop because AT&T wanted a too much money for the colorful
>phones.  Because there was no competition, the telephone monopoly had
>no interest style, fashion, trendish design, elaborate options, etc,
>Ma Bell offered exactly one color... black.  Same with the early Ford
>automobiles.  You can have any color you want, as long as it's black.
>In 1968, after the phone monopoly was broken up into regional "baby
>Bell" units and independent hardware vendors were allowed to provide
>"foreign attachments", one of the first thing offered were colorful
>(princess) phones.
>
>>I remember when computer cases and many cables were almost all beige.
>
>There was a good reason for pushing beige colored computers.
>
>"I am stuck in a Beige Bubble"
><https://elledecor.in/sad-beige-interiors-trend-aesthetic/>
>The short answer is that beige is the ultimate in "neutral" colors,
>which means it goes well with most other colors and does not clash
>with any of the primary colors.  I suggest some reading on "color
>psychology"
>
>>I guess it's mainly fashion.
>
>Sorta, kinda, maybe.  Fashion has it's place, but it's a bad thing
>upon which to base a product design or company image.  I'll make it
>easy.  Just follow the money.  If there's a financial reason for doing
>something that doesn't seem obvious, you have just discovered the
>answer.

When they were built by hand, rubber sleave was typically black.

More modern cables in grey PVC.

It took UL a long time to accept that color additives didn't 
necessarily affect flammability or temperature class. 
Color of insulation material is still specified, to this day.

RL