the alignment key properly aligns the connector and the card and prevents incompatible cards from being inserted into the connector the connector portion of the system is a universal connector 30 that provides a non polarized key 38 that engages the non polarized keyway 28 of the cards 20 embodying the present invention to properly align the connector and the card the universal connector is able to receive all the related cards of the family in this way a family of cards each requiring a different connection can be produced for use in a corresponding family of conventional polarized connectors 20 that provide the specific electrical connection required by a specific card the universal connector makes it possible to provide a single connector that can mechanically receive any of the cards in the family when a connection is provided that is electrically adaptive to provide the specific electrical connection required by a specific card for example a connector can be provided according to the present invention to receive either a 3 3 volt accelerated graphics port agp card 20 fig2 that has a keyway 26 between pad positions 42 and 43 or a 1 5 volt agp card 60 fig4 that has a keyway 66 between.