When ethernet technology first deployed in the 1970s and early 1980s, its cables came in a distinctive bright yellow shade matching the paint of 1968 Chevrolet Corvettes. One of ethernet's principal creators, Rich Seifert, championed this particular hue partly because it reflected his personal aesthetic preferences, as evidenced by his own vehicle and home furnishings.

Beyond aesthetics, the vivid yellow served essential practical purposes during early network installations. Because cables required physical drilling to establish connections, it was critical to visually separate ethernet cables from power cables to prevent potentially dangerous mistakes. This combination of functional requirement and individual preference established yellow as the defining colour for the first generation of networking hardware.