Back in the early 90s I was a nerd [pauses to let shocked gasps die down]. There was a couple year period where I read every single one of the Internet specs that were released. These documents are rather strangely named "Request For Comment" or RFCs. Since it was my job to know nerdy Internet stuff then, I read 'em all, probably a couple a week back then.
Well every April Fools Day there would be a joke RFC. There's a pretty good Wikipedia page that lists them. Here's a recent example: RFC 8565, Hypertext Jeopardy Protocol. The Abstract reads:
The Hypertext Jeopardy Protocol (HTJP) inverts the request/response semantics of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Using conventional HTTP, one connects to a server, asks a question, and expects a correct answer. Using HTJP, one connects to a server, sends an answer, and expects a correct question. This document specifies the semantics of HTJP.
Pretty funny right there, in a very nerdy way. But one that I remember from way back in the day was RFC 1149, Standard for the transmission of IP datagrams on Avian Carriers. Basically it was sending Internet messages by carrier pigeon. We yuked this up around the coffee mess.
Well, it turns out some nerds actually implemented this - they built a working system that used pigeons:
Finally, rfc 1149 is implemented! On saturday 28th of april 2001, the worlds very first rfc 1149 network was tested. The weather was quite nice, despite being in one of the most rainy places in Norway.
The ping was started approximately at 12:15. We decided to do a 7 1/2 minute interval between the ping packets, that would leave a couple of packets unanswered, given ideal situations. Things didn't happen quite that way, though. It happened that the neighbour had a flock of pigeons flying. Our pigeons didn't want to go home at once, they wanted to fly with the other pigeons instead. And who can blame them, when the sun was finally shining after a couple of days?
But the instincts won at last, and after about an hour of fun, we could see a couple of pigeons breaking out of the flock and heading in the right direction. There was much cheering. Apparantly, it WAS our pigeons, because not long after, we got a report from the other site that the first pigeon was sitting on the roof.
Read the whole glorious thing here. Linux nerds FTW!
4 comments:
Yessir I recall having a print out of RFC 1149 in those days, carrying it around with me in case I encountered someone in need of some humor! Great days those were!!!! Thank you BP for this post.
In the early 90s I went to college and my major was Computer Science. I was/am definitely a computer geek. One day I go to classes. It's the first day of a new term. I checked my schedule and went to the room for my next class which was some computer class (I forget which one it was). I'm about 10 minutes early. I sit down and start waiting. A very pretty girl walks in and sits down a few rows ahead and off to my right. I'm thinking, "Wow, I'm gonna like this class." Another minute or so passes and ... lo and behold ... in walks another pretty girl and sits down next to the first. I'm thinking, "Holy Moly, I'm really gonna like this class." Another minute or two goes by and, you guessed it, a third pretty girl walks in and sits close to the first two. Then I realize, "!@!$#, I'm in the wrong classroom. " I re-checked my printed scheduled and I had mixed up the times.
Here's another story. I was in a programming class (I think it was C++ or Prolog). Again, first day of the semester. I knew there were two females in my cohort. One was married and one was not. The one that was not married was pretty good lookin' and ... she liked Star Trek The Next Generation (STTNG). That was my "in." I sit in the back row, far right. I sit in one seat and put my backpack (loaded with programming books and 3.5" disks) on the seat next to me. I'm thinking I'll save her a seat. I'm sooooo smooth it's hard to believe /s. The classroom starts filling up quickly. As usual enrollment is maxed out and a bunch of hopefuls show up hoping to get their "add petitions" signed. After all the seats are full, the leftovers start sitting on the combo window sill/heaters at the back. One guy sitting on the sill behind me leans forward and asks, "Is that your backpack?" I give him a brief mean stare and a quiet grunt/growl and I grab my backpack and put it on the floor in front of me. *Sigh* my master plan has been foiled. Finally the girl shows up. She sees me and comes to the back and takes the empty spot on the window sill. Many eyes follow her. As she sits down she says, "Hello, how's it going?" or something like that. I reply cheerfully. Now here's the good part. The guy who took the seat I was saving looks at her, then looks at me, *click* figures it out, stands up, and says to her, "Here you can have my seat." Wow oh wow oh wow oh wow. I owe that guy a beer or three. The girl became my first girlfriend. Sadly it didn't last but I still have a few good memories of watching STTNG with her.
Ben Yalow, who lives in Texas now, was a SUNY was was 'involved' in the crafting of RFC 1149. It's a hilarious story!
Some of the best humor I've ever read - and they were compiled into a boo:
https://www.rfchumor.com/
Available on Amazon, of course, but y'all can find that yourselves.
Kurt
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