[ih] Internet sounds

[Jack Haverty]

My most memorable "computer sound" of the 70s was the ear-shattering 
squeal of one of dozens of fans in various pieces of computer 
equipment.  That occurred when the bearings were getting worn. Running 
24x7 a fan would last only a few years at best.  You would "test" a fan 
by just tapping on it with your finger, which of course placed your ears 
in prime striking distance of the squeal.   Time to get the toolbox out 
and replace fans.   I replaced a lot of fans....

"Internet sounds" are a bit more difficult.  Networks were notoriously 
difficult for doing a dog-and-pony show, since there was little visible 
or audible activity involved.  Not even a spinning magtape.  Networks 
are definitely introverts.

But I do remember one salient sound that I associate with The 
Internet.   In particular, I heard it at many of the meetings of various 
working groups and committees involved in the early Internet design and 
deployment.   This was all before social media, audio or video 
teleconferencing, or even the ability to send pictures or audio over the 
Net.   We had to actually convene in a room somewhere to thrash out 
technical details.  Time frame was roughly 1980 +- a few years.

The sound I recall was an indication that the "Rat Hole Protocol" had 
been started (RHP?).

What's RHP?

Well, I don't remember who started it or when, but there was an 
undocumented rule at the meetings where anyone, from the lowliest coder 
to the person-in-charge, could, at any time, during any presentation, by 
any speaker, shout "Rat Hole!!!" loudly enough to be heard by everyone 
in the room.   This would cause an immediate cessation of the current 
discussion, while everyone considered whether or not we had gotten way 
off topic.  Usually a rough consensus formed quickly, and the group 
climbed out of the Rat Hole, and resumed serious debate about whatever 
the topic of the meeting was supposed to be.   Even Vint Cerf could be a 
"Rat Hole!" target, and IIRC he quickly agreed.

It strikes me now that the "Rat Hole!" process was analogous to the 
"Call the Question" part of Robert's Rules.  It was used to halt endless 
unproductive discussions and get back on track to building the Internet.

I wonder now how important the RHP was to the success of the Internet?  
Without it, would we still be arguing instead of writing code...?  Hmmm, 
is RHP still in use?

Anyway, "Rat Hole!!" is my most memorable "Internet Sound".   Sorry, no 
audio tape that I know about.

Jack Haverty


On 4/26/22 16:34, Brian E Carpenter via Internet-history wrote:
> On 27-Apr-22 09:48, Lyndon Nerenberg (VE7TFX/VE6BBM) via 
> Internet-history wrote:
>>> For instance, I remember the clatter of teletypes, Telebit and Hayes
>>> modem tones, VT52 buzzes, the RF interference caused screeches from
>>> the AM radio perched near IMP #1, the PC/IP telnet "chirp", the
>>> sound of a DECwriter, etc.
>>
>> These are all generic computer sounds.  Nothing to do with the Internet
>> per se. (Well, okay, the IMP :-))
>>
>> For me, the first "sound" that I would definitively associate with
>> the Internet specifically is Carl Malamud's _Internet Talk Radio_
>> program from 1993.
>
> "On June 24, 1993, the band Severe Tire Damage was the first to
> perform live on the Mbone."
> (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mbone#History)
>
> But there was audio and video using early versions of VIC/VAT before
> 1993. I was in a transatlantic teleconf at UCL in 1991, and I seem to
> remember remote audio in the very early days of RIPE (1989?).
>
> Archives from those days may be hard to find, however. Mark Handley
> might have some pointers for the UCL work.
>
> Regards
>    Brian