Cutting and IDE cable?
 

I'm trying to do some cable management inside my computer and I have only one IDE device (a DVD burner) but the cable I use is something like 19". The cable allows for 2 devices to be attached to the same cable. The cord is too long, so I was wondering if I could just cut the cable after the first IDE connector?

Yes you can cut a IDE cable but don't cut the cable too short (to be safe you should stay above 8 inches.) Also before you dive in practice cutting pieces of the unwanted portion with exacto knives or sharp scissors. You want a clean cut as much as possible. Otheriwise the stray wires can short out whatever the cable is connected to.

I can't say I'd recommend doing that if you've never modified cables before, especially with the risks involved.

Ribbon cables are very easy to fold, and they hold their shape well (a paperclip can help too); couldn't you just fold up the excess and conceal it somewhere? Failing that, buying a new cable of the correct length would hardly break the bank.