[ih] Internet sounds

[Ole Jacobsen]

I have (somewhere) an audio cassette with recordings from the early SATNET
packet voice experiments between NDRE, Lincoln Labs, UCL and ISI. Maybe one
of these days I'll get it converted to MP3.

Ole

> On Apr 26, 2022, at 21:14, Bob Purvy via Internet-history <internet-history at elists.isoc.org> wrote:
> 
> You know, CHM guys, we *could* actually rig up a "studio", borrow some good
> mics, and record some of this stuff. I doubt it would bring in a whole LOT
> of money, but maybe a few dollars.
> 
> When I was a wee lad, my big brother actually listened to records of drag
> racing sounds. You never know what people will like...
> 
> On Tue, Apr 26, 2022 at 5:49 PM Jack Haverty via Internet-history <
> internet-history at elists.isoc.org> wrote:
> 
>> 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
>> 
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Ole J. Jacobsen
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