# All the bells and whistles

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-the-bells-and-whistles/80845>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 11, 2001, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-the-bells-and-whistles/80845 "2001-09-11T08:58:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![walor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@walor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/walor)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2001, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-the-bells-and-whistles/80845/1 "2001-09-11T08:58:02Z")

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Just where does this phrase come from? I’ve tried a couple of websites that specialise in phrase origins but they leave me none the wiser.

I’m aware of it’s meaning and application but do any of the dopers have an explanation for its origin?

Thanks in advance my friends…

pax

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**Author:** ![the\_O-man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9f8e36/32.png) [@the\_O-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_O-man)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2001, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-the-bells-and-whistles/80845/2 "2001-09-11T10:03:43Z")

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I found this explanation on the following website:

[http://info.astrian.net/jargon/terms/b.html](http://info.astrian.net/jargon/terms/b.html)

> [@](#):
>
> bells and whistles n. [common] Features added to a program or system to make it more flavorful from a hacker’s point of view, without necessarily adding to its utility for its primary function. Distinguished from chrome, which is intended to attract users. “Now that we’ve got the basic program working, let’s go back and add some bells and whistles.” No one seems to know what distinguishes a bell from a whistle. The recognized emphatic form is “bells, whistles, and gongs”.
> 
> \*\*It used to be thought that this term derived from the toyboxes on theater organs. However, the “and gongs” strongly suggests a different origin, at sea. Before powered horns, ships routinely used bells, whistles, and gongs to signal each other over longer distances than voice can carry. \*\*

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**Author:** ![walor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@walor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/walor)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2001, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-the-bells-and-whistles/80845/3 "2001-09-11T12:05:59Z")

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Many thanks **O-man**. That’s not only helpful but it looks like a useful site too.

[www.wordwizard.com/](http://www.wordwizard.com/) also suggests a computing link whilst [http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOrigins.htm](http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOrigins.htm) produced a blank.

I’m indebted…

pax