| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name
 | Date | Lines | 
|---|
| 802.1 |  | ULTRA::ZURKO | The quality of mercy is not strained | Wed Sep 27 1989 15:11 | 3 | 
|  | I thought it was a way to ask a sales-person to check-in somewhere for a
message. Like, badge 13 is "pong!....pong,pong,pong!".
	Mez
 | 
| 802.2 | THAT DARN PONG NOISE! | JAIMES::GUZMAN |  | Wed Sep 27 1989 15:41 | 9 | 
|  |  I believe the pong noise is the noise that the service/intercom phone makes.
     When an employee of a department store picks up the service/intercom
     phone to page someone to the sales department or sporting goods
     department, the pong noise sounds off then you hear the person's
    page message.  I use to work in a department store and that was
    the way it was set up then.
    
    
    
 | 
| 802.3 | not an original idea, though.... | LEZAH::BOBBITT | invictus maneo | Wed Sep 27 1989 16:34 | 10 | 
|  |     A lot of volunteer fire departments will circulate a list of 3-digit
    codes for different parts of the town with the town phone book.
     When there's a fire, they'll blast the codes (honk - honk honk
    honk - honk honk, for 312, for instance) and all the volunteers
    will know where to go to help.
    
    It's a beeperless beeper system.....
    
    -Jody
    
 | 
| 802.4 |  | RUTLND::SAISI |  | Wed Sep 27 1989 16:34 | 5 | 
|  |     I think the noise is for the sake of security.  It lets the security
    people know that someone has entered their area.  My sister worked for
    Lord and Taylor and they were supposed to subtly follow people around.
    Apparently there are some real skilled shoplifters out there.
    	Linda
 | 
| 802.5 | Learning this changed my views about ... | STAR::BECK | The question is - 2B or D4? | Wed Sep 27 1989 17:20 | 4 | 
|  | It's the opening and closing of wormholes from other dimensions. When the aliens
teleport to Earth, they need to arrive someplace where odd looking people can
stagger around without being noticed while they get their bearings (teleportation
being quite disorienting). Department stores are the ideal destination.
 | 
| 802.6 | depends on the store | WONDER::SKALTSIS | Deb | Wed Sep 27 1989 17:48 | 8 | 
|  |     Grover Cronin in Waltham, MA (which just went out of business) had one
    of those. My mother's cousin worked there and she told me that it
    meant that a someone entered/left the area. It's basic purpose was to
    alert a sales clerk (who might be covering two areas or talking to
    someone) to be aware that someone might need help. The emphasis
    there was on service rather than security. 
    
    Deb  
 | 
| 802.7 | It's a paging system | AISVAX::HALVERSON | Rogger Rabbit for President | Thu Sep 28 1989 09:46 | 8 | 
|  |     It is a way of paging people like security, maintenance for example
    if an employee needs a mait. person they pick up the phone and dial
    a code like xxx-123  which would be pong------pong pong----pong
    pong pong.  Wen the maint person hears it they cal the xxx-123 number
    and they are in contact with who wants them paged....  At least
    thats the way it works at Jordan Marsh...
    
    
 | 
| 802.8 | Shucks... | GEMVAX::KOTTLER |  | Thu Sep 28 1989 11:48 | 2 | 
|  |     You mean it's not Morse code between two employees setting up an
    illicit rendez-vous?
 | 
| 802.9 | dressing rooms | ARCHER::SMITH |  | Thu Sep 28 1989 11:48 | 4 | 
|  |     I've noticed (at TJMAXX) that its tied to opening and closing the
    dressing room doors.
    
    
 | 
| 802.10 |  | SX4GTO::HOLT | Knight of the Iguana | Fri Sep 29 1989 19:49 | 2 | 
|  |     
    Its the sound of illicit mating by security workers..
 |