This column is for people who remember — or who heard stories from their parents or grandparents — that staticky, buzzing melody of beeps when someone would dial in for a connection to the internet, and an equally static-sounding machine at the other end would answer.

It was called a “handshake.” It sounded a bit like a joy buzzer, without the practical joke.

It was a comforting sound of success. And anticipation. Like the air-escaping hiss from opening a vacuum can of coffee. Or the confidence of a click of a retractable ballpoint pen. Or the quiet of changing from first to second in a stick-shift car without mashing the gears.

Sounds are a big part of our memories.

The dial-up modem was not an instant connection to the internet like we have now. You would click on your computer, back

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