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The Sounds of Tech Past
itwbennett writes "If you're of a certain generation, the screech of a modem, the stuttering song of the dot matrix printer, and the wet slap of a mimeograph machine can transport you to simpler (or at least slower) times. JR Raphael has rounded up 20 tech sounds on the brink of extinction for your listening torture. We're only sorry we don't have smell-o-vision to bring you that sweet mimeograph scent."
The sound of a dial-up modem making a connection is as much a part of my childhood as hair metal...
They should have used the Apple Disc II. I always loved the sound of that drive. Kind of a soft swishing, not the angry gronk noise of most 5.25" drives.
I also fondly remember the sound of an Atari 800 booting from floppy. Especially if you had the US Doubler modification... the sound of speed.
All those sounds, and no mention of loading programs from cassette tape. Nothing like actually being able to HEAR the software as it loads in to your TI-99/4A.
Ok, show of hands, how many people here could diagnose modem connection problems and handshake speeds by listening?
Lets see if I can do this justice.
Beee beeee beeeeeeee boo waaa woooo waaaaaaaaa bzzzzzzzzup thup thup thup thup thup thup thup PING! PING fwashhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Ok, name that connection speed!
It's hell to get old, isn't it?
Rumor has it that the alternative is worse.
You're confusing "you're" and "your", as long as we're being pedantic ;-)
Three or four months ago, my wife told my 16-year old stepson to call and see if the person that cuts his hair was working that day. There was a big to-do that day about him not wanting to do anything for himself, and one of the results of that was the need for him to make this call rather than relying on his mom. Anyway, after some typical teenage bitching he went off to his room to call the place with his cell phone. A few minutes pass and comes out again.
Him: "The phone isn't working."
Us: "It's not working. Really. Did you dial the right number?"
Him: "Yeah! Of course I did! I'm not that stupid. It's just making some weird noise."
Us: "What number did you dial?"
Him: [He told us.]
I got my cell and called that number. [beeeeep] [pause] [beeeeep] [pause] [beeeeep]
Us: "That, son, is a busy signal."
Him: "A what?"