# HAL-9000 vs. Betty Boop: What are your computer sounds? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 17, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879 "2004-03-17T18:08:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/1 "2004-03-17T18:08:08Z")
A few minutes ago I was reading about someone yelling at their computer sign-off noise. Their sound bite was nothing I would even have **known** about, but it made me giggle. When my computer starts, It’s Peter Venkman ([Ghostbusters](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087332/)): “Generally you don’t see that kind of behavior in a major appliance.” When I shut down, [Marvin the Martian](http://www.toonopedia.com/martian.jpg) (Warner Brothers) says: “Where’s the ‘kaboom?’ There was supposed to have been an Earth-shattering ‘kaboom!’” When people sign on IMs, it’s an Ogre yelling, “We’re being attaaaaacked!” from [Warcraft II](http://www.blizzard.com/war2bne/#war2). When they sign off, it’s the “YAAAAAaaaaa!!!” from people falling down a level on [Toejam & Earl](http://www.mobygames.com/game/sheet/gameId,7247/). When I get email, it’s the sung “Sega!” from the beginning of [Sonic the Hedgehog](http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hist_sonic/) I and II. It’s really loud, too, and usually scares the hell out of me. So what kinds of things do y’all use? I know a lot of people stick with less intrusive system sounds. I’ve heard a few people’s systems, though, and it’s neat to see what sounds people use to personalize their machines. ---
**Author:** ![Flypsyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/2 "2004-03-17T18:48:57Z")
Right now, it’s Homestarrunner doing “Entrance of the Gladiators” for the bootup, and Strong Bad saying “It’s about time. Why don’t you go outside or something? … Nerd!” on shutdown. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/3 "2004-03-17T18:55:00Z")
My mail sound is the Blue Clue’s “Mail’s here, mail’s in” that Mailbox says when he gets mail (from the Steve days). My start-up sound is a classical music fanfare, not sure which one exactly (yeah, I should know, but I don’t). My sign-off is a snippet of the JoDee Messina song, “Bye-Bye.” “Bye-bye, bye-bye my baby, bye-bye!” IM’s is a goofy voice saying, “YooHoo!” Leaving is the same voice saying, “Later, Dude!” They’re both something my daughter loaded. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/4 "2004-03-17T19:37:11Z")
Mine start up (multiple PCs, office and home) with the theme from ‘Fractured Fairy Tales’, and shut down to the Bullwinke & Rocky end theme. I have too many sound effects in between to even list. ---
**Author:** ![Manatee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@Manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manatee)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/5 "2004-03-17T21:41:10Z")
Mine are all sounds from Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. Starting up: “Welcome, foolish mortals!” Shutting down: “Of course, there’s always my way…” Lessee, what else… “There’s room for a thousand” for the defrag alarm. A thunderbolt for the “error” sound. Plus a whole bunch more. Yeah, I’m a Disney geek. What of it? ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/6 "2004-03-17T22:58:41Z")
I only have three at the moment. On startup I have HAL from 2001 saying: _“I’m completely operational, and all of my circuits are functioning perfectly.”_ For my mail program, from Monty Python’s Quest for the Holy Grail (I think): _sound of an arrow striking_ "_Message for you, Sir!"_ And at shutdown: _“Elvis has left the building.”_ Obviously I need to spend more time on my computer. ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/7 "2004-03-17T23:03:34Z")
I’ve got Tracy Morgan saying “I’m Brian Fellow!” when the buddies on my Yahoo IM pop in. When I get an e-mail, it’s Strong Bad saying, “It’s the e-mail, the e-mail, wuh wuh the e-mail.” ---
**Author:** ![Magickly\_Delicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magickly\_Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magickly_Delicious)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/8 "2004-03-17T23:03:43Z")
My computer makes the THX sound when it starts up. The first IM I get from people sets off Weebl saying “Mmmmm pie.” My error messages are Chris the Ninja Pirate saying “Yarr!” I don’t use many other sounds. ---
**Author:** ![3.885AM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/58956e/32.png) [@3.885AM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3.885AM)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/9 "2004-03-17T23:07:18Z")
Startup: Prof. Farnsworth “let this abomination unto the lord begin!” from Futurama Jurassic bark ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/10 "2004-03-17T23:17:49Z")
For a while I had a fully custom Starcraft Terran theme on my computer. My favorites: minimizing and maximizing of windows were the bunkers loading and unloading. Startup sound was the full Goliath system check. Default windows clicks were replaced with all the nice bloops and bleeps. And I think my shutdown noise was the Terran Academy. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/11 "2004-03-18T00:48:42Z")
I’ve gone for a Trek Original Series sound theme; Startup; Lieutenant Uhura, “Hailing frequencies open Sir” Shut down; Spock, “Live long and prosper” People signing onto MSM; The opened hailing frequencies whistle. (Email is the whistle again.) Recycle bin; Tricorder humm. The various questions and alerts get different alert sounds. Can’t think of the others off the top of my head tho. ---
**Author:** ![Manatee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@Manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manatee)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2004, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/12 "2004-03-18T06:51:34Z")
> [@Johnny Bravo](#): > > minimizing and maximizing of windows THAT’S what I forgot to mention: Maximizing: “Is this haunted room actually stretching?” Minimizing: “Or is it my imagination?” Got the HM eyeball wallpaper, too. ---
**Author:** ![Soup\_du\_jour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Soup\_du\_jour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup_du_jour)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2004, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/13 "2004-03-18T07:10:32Z")
Hey Manatee, you have any link to these sounds? It sounds so…so…cool. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2004, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/14 "2004-03-18T12:51:07Z")
Just shutdown, Th-th-th-th-That’s all Folks! Had Daffy Duck WhooHoos and stuff for other actions but the fun factor wore off pretty quickly. Work workstations are all silent, thank gawd. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Dirx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@Sir\_Dirx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Dirx)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2004, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/15 "2004-03-18T13:06:21Z")
I’ve also got the THX sound on startup, and shutdown is Iago (the parrot from Disney’s Aladdin) yelling “I can’t take it anymore!” I used to have an awesome Transformers scheme. Shut down was Starscream crying “Get this thing off meeeee!” I had all sorts of quotes from Soundwave for errors and the like: “Alert! Alert!” “System Malfunction!” “Mechanical Error!” etc, plus the transformation sound for emptying the recycle bin. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2004, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/16 "2004-03-18T19:11:56Z")
Currently- Nothing Past Schemes IIRC Cthulhu- Startup was a combination of various animal noises that sounded like a giant frog monster snoring. Shutdown- the sound of a large object entering water Nightbreed- I strongly recommend this film. It was marketed as a slasher flick. It’s actually a fantasy film for adults. A man dreams of a fabled city of monsters where legends walk and all your sins are forgiven. Startup- Lylesburg, spiritual leader of the Nightbreed “The tribes of the moon embrace you.” Program has perfomed an illegal operation and will be shut down- Father Ashwell, an alcoholic priest who’s largely lost his faith “You’re an abomination. You have to die.” Shutdown- Lylesburg “What is below, remains below. That is the law.” ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/17 "2004-03-18T19:26:42Z")
My startup sound is from the Mr. Creosote scene - “It’s only wafer thin!” My shut down sound is from the opening of Ben Folds Five’s song _Underground_ - “we can be happy undergrooouuuund” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/18 "2004-03-18T19:36:44Z")
My favorite shutdown sound was Orac from Blake’s 7: “I am shutting down. I have much to do, and you have engaged my circuits on your petty affairs for far too long” ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/19 "2004-03-18T19:42:25Z")
My start up is from the Simpson’s. Remember when Mr. Smithers turned on his computer when Lisa was there? “Hello. Smithers. You’re. Quite. Good. At. Turning. Me. On.” And my wallpaper is that picture of Mr. Burns Smithers has on his desktop. ---
**Author:** ![lachesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@lachesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lachesis)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879/20 "2004-03-18T20:45:59Z")
at work, i had very … ahhh… themed sounds for the few audibles i had set. Boot-up (Start Win-Doze): Theme from The Twilight Zone (original series version) Error: Thunderclap Shut down: Bugs Bunny clip from the end of unknown Loony Tunes cartoon – “Weeeell, goodbye!” \ “And don’t think it hasn’t been a little slice of Heaven. 'Cause it hasn’t!” \ – you can practically SEE the WB logo slamming on the hatch door as he ducks back in the second time. of course, since they’ve gone around replacing all the PCs and standardizing everything, i’m lucky i even have an individual wallpaper anymore. bastards. i miss my sign-off sounds. oh, and on the previous old home PC, for a while the shut-down sound was a capture of one the old _Battlestar Gallactica_ Cylons saying “By your command.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-9000-vs-betty-boop-what-are-your-computer-sounds/234879.md?page=2)