[bgm1975]

Considering the number of features and capabilities that can be given to a usb-c cable, I think a better alternative would be to take cue from the humble resistor and use color coded bands around each of the ends. Text can only really cover 1-2 capabilities and it’d be nice to have a way to know exactly what a given cable can do, even if it requires a decoder ring.

[skinner927]

This is also an international solution

[reidjs]

But not accessible. It's generally better to use colors AND designs (dashed, dotted, etc) over color to prevent color-blind issues, what I see as red may differ from what you see as red.

[andix]

If I understand it correctly most parameters can be negotiated by the usb controller of a device. It should be possible to plug it into a device and see the specs of the cable and the charger somehow.

[LorenPechtel]

Yeah. A lot of IT people would pay for a box that you plug a USB cable into and it tells you what the cable can and can't do. Simply reading out the specs, not actually testing whether it can perform to spec. (Although a simple test of the latter should be possible. Baby computer, it sends data at all supposedly supported speeds and sees if it gets the results. That would catch the ones that couldn't but could miss a flaky one.)

[ProZsolt]

There are only two types capabilities of a cable speed (480 Mb, 5Gb, 20Gb, 40Gb or 80Gb) and power (60W (3A) or 240W (5A)) everything else is depends on the host.

[patmorgan23]

Might not always require a recorder ring! You could label ports with the same color if it's a capability like displayport.

[java-man]

Always been a problem to differentiate one gray from all other gray colors...

[Tempest1981]

Decoder ring made me think QR code