There are also cables that look exactly like a double-ended USB-A cable but aren't. https://ftdichip.com/products/usb-nmc-2-5m/
replyNeat, I had never heard of those.
replyYou and the other responders are probably familiar with it, but you made me look up this decent StackExchange answer again, coming from a search for "the forbidden usb cable" :)
replyI have a few of those too. My laser cutter needs one. I've seen lots of "expensive equipment" use USB A-to-A cables, for some odd reason.
replyThis came with a double-ended USB-A for charging: https://www.rei.com/product/248291/biolite-luci-original-cle...
replyI had one of those to charge a bicycle headlight. I gave it away with the bicycle, but in the span of time I had it, one visiting guest borrowed it to recharge a portable generic USB battery pack. So there you go, two product categories known to use that sort of cable!
replyDouble-ended USB A cables were popular in the 2000s/early 2010s for powering external hard drives or USB DVD drives.
replyI installed some HP slide-out rackmount keyboard/monitor units that used these as the host connection. This was back in the days when PS/2 was still around so they usually weren't used.
replyI've got a 7 port USB 3.0 hub that connects with a double ended USB-A cable.
replyPut a USB C to A adapter on each end and you’ve got yourself a perfectly serviceable USBC cable.
replyMine came from usb<->sata adapters.
replymine had 2 male USB ends on one side and 1 on the other. It was to power a laptop hard disk drive from USB if one port couldn't provide enough power. Feels illegal. I bought it off eBay with a money order in like 2003.
replymine came from a USB charger spycam
reply> double-ended USB-A cable.
replyDecades ago, I purchased a usb external hard drive case with a usb-a for the connection to the computer. Returned that pretty quick because eww.