e1 – Startup Chime

Our first episode takes a tour of the Macintosh startup chime, from drilling holes in a prototype Mac case in 1982 to the current chime we've known and loved since 1999.

Links for this episode:

• Origin of the chime
  • From the Apple II to the Macintosh
• Jim Reekes
  • Interview about the chime, Sosumi, and more [NSFW audio]
  • Several retellings of the story: [1] [2] [3] [4]
  • Reekes' (nonexistent) Wikipedia entry
• Stanley Jordan
  • artist of the Power Mac 6100/7100/8100 chime
• The chime in pop culture
  • WALL•E
  • The Mac in Futurama
  • Startup chime library prank
• Trademark on the chime
  • Trademark granted in 2012
  • Sound file included in USPTO filing [MP3]
  • Mactracker

• Silencing the chime
  • Silent Start [MAS link]

  • Macworld tips article [November 1997 issue; link requires library/university access]

"A number of readers have contributed more ideas for turning down or silencing the start-up chime. Instead of plugging in headphones or an earphone as suggested in August's Quick Tips, Jeffrey Lomicka of Maynard, Massachusetts, plugs in a 1/8-inch flathead nylon screw. He cut it to 5/8 inches in length and tied a string to the head to make it easy to remove."