The project demonstrates the programming of AVR microcontrollers on other boards with only the use of a USB cable and 6-pin IDC to 6-pin IDC cable since it is designed for production within a FabLab.
Parallel ATA (IDE) uses 40 pins, not 26. 26 was for floppies. But it's a standard 40-pin "header" connector. Sometimes called "IDC". CF cards have the PATA interface on a 50-pin connector. I don't ...