#123#
 

Beeping computers

Culture concept

*123*
26
games
9
platforms

Computers beep, blip, and flash lights almost constantly in normal/idle operation, especially mainframe (headless) style computers.

Notable people involved: Ellen McLain, Terri Brosius, Doug Church, Warren Spector and Peter 'Skaven' Hajba

Alternate name: Blinkenlights

No computer beeps or flashes lights unless there's a Good Reason for it to, which usually is limited to operational errors (though many do such during boot-up sequence as part of their self-tests). Generally found in fiction prior to home computers appearing (and thus in the time when ignorance of such was great) or fiction trying to mimic such (as it has its own appeal).

Especially egregious in video games as all of them have been made after the fact people learned The Truth. Oddly enough, many video games still have them.

Historically beeping and flashing lights were used in extremely early computers (such as punch card computers) where their operators could actually follow them to monitor how the computer worked, but this was quickly phased out as computers grew too fast to monitor in such manner. In modern times these are only used for simple diagnostic things or network devices that are usually not very visible (not enough for this tag certainly).

Popular tags

cacophonicvoice coerced entangled everyonesdead mechanicalvoice openended serious technology-theme thx-1138

Games by year

949596979899000102030405060708091011121314151617 41230

The first Beeping computers video game was released on March 26, 1994.

Valve and Night Dive Studios published most of these games.

Platforms

Windows9
Linux7
Mac OS X3
Mac OS Classic2
PS31
X3601
Wii1
Android1
MS-DOS1

Most common companies