I've posted this before, but that protective boot is optional and not a part of the standard.

Probably because no one in there was using ethernet cables with snag protectors to design or test.

In fairness, if this was targeted to medium-large corporates they would expect to be using manually terminated cables which don't have that feature.

I'm sure someone added that type cable to the testing procedure after this though.

QA budget has been gutted. They can't afford the Bougie Ethernet Cables that come with boots.

I guess QA uses super old and worn out cables where these attachments have long since broken off...

Yea, either Cisco has shit processes that don't involve multiple checks after drawings are first made, or multiple people fucked up in checking.

Guessing QA test script does not specify which port to plug the ethernet cable into. So they choose whichever is closest to their dominant hand.