<
humour> As in "Before testing or reconfiguring, always mount a
href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=scratch monkey">scratch monkey", a proverb used to advise caution w
hen dealing wit
h irreplaceable data or devices. Used to refer to any scratc
h volume
hooked to a computer during any risky operation as a replacement for some precious resource or data t
hat mig
ht ot
herwise get tras
hed. T
his term preserves t
he memory of Mabel, t
he Swimming Wonder Monkey, star of a biological researc
h program at t
he University of Toronto. Mabel was not (so t
he legend goes) your ordinary monkey t
he university
had spent years teac
hing
her
how to swim, breat
hing t
hroug
h a regulator, in order to study t
he effects of different gas mixtures on
her p
hysiology. Mabel suffered an untimely demise one day w
hen a DEC engineer troubles
hooting a cras
h on t
he program' s VAX inadvertently interfered wit
h some custom
hardware t
hat was wired to Mabel. It is reported t
hat, after calming down an understandably irate customer sufficiently to ascertain t
he facts of t
he matter, a DEC troubles
hooter called up t
he
href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=field circus">field circus manager responsible and asked
him sweetly, "Can you swim?" Not all t
he consequences to
humans were so amusing t
he sysop of t
he mac
hine in question was nearly t
hrown in jail at t
he be
hest of certain clueless droids at t
he local "
humane" society. T
he moral is clear: W
hen in doubt, always mount a scratc
h monkey.
href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=ESR">ESR notes: T
here is a version of t
his story, complete wit
h reported dialogue between one of t
he project people and DEC field service, t
hat
has been circulating on Internet since 1986. It is
hilarious and myt
hic, but gets some facts wrong. For example, it reports t
he mac
hine as a
href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=PDP-11">PDP-11 and alleges t
hat Mabel' s demise occurred w
hen DEC
href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=PM">PMed t
he mac
hine. Earlier versions of t
his entry were based on t
hat story t
his one
has been corrected from an interview wit
h t
he
hapless sysop. A corespondent adds: T
he details you give are somew
hat consistent wit
h t
he version I recall from t
he Digital "War Stories" notesfile, but t
he name "Mabel" and t
he swimming bit were not mentioned, IIRC. Also, t
here' s {a very detailed account (
http://www.mv.com/ipusers/arcade/monkey.
htm)} t
hat claims t
hat t
hree monkies died in t
he incident, not just one. I believe Eric Postpisc
hil wrote t
he original story at DEC, so
his coming back wit
h a different version leads me to wonder w
het
her t
here ever was a real Scratc
h Monkey incident. [
href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=Jargon File">Jargon File] (2004-08-22)
In addition suitable contents:
[ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=31">2 ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=134">= ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=262">ad ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=383">af ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=396">ag ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=411">ai ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=433">al ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=544">am ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=592">an ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=740">ar ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=743">arc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=759">arg ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=800">as ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=822">ash ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=894">at ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=935">au ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1025">B ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1026">b ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1034">ba ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1120">base ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1181">be ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1269">bi ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1334">bit ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1535">br ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1624">bt ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1708">C ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1724">ca ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1896">cc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2001">ch ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2099">ci ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2136">ck ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2138">cl ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2247">co ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2330">com ] [ 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href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4199">et ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4379">fact ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4497">fi ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4508">field ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4509">field circus ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4520">file ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4700">fo ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4727">for ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4828">fr ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4989">ga ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5021">gas ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5057">ge ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5070">gen ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5134">gh ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5141">gi ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5291">gr ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5403">gu ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5430">gy ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5434">h ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5512">hardware ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5540">hat ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5656">hing ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5708">hook ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5768">hr ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5779">ht ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5791">hu ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5810">humour ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5931">id ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5956">ie ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5986">iff ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6007">IIR ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6008">IIRC ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6013">il ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6064">in ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6068">inc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6194">int ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6326">Internet ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6413">io ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6448">IR ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6449">ir ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6451">IRC ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6482">is ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6558">it ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6589">J ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6620">Jargon File ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6789">ke ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6802">key ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6822">ki ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6906">ky ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6918">la ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7023">ld ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7091">Lex ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7107">li ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7291">logical ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7399">ls ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7415">lu ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7441">ly ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7457">M ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7463">ma ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7479">machine ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7582">man ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7749">memory ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8019">mm ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8032">mo ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8040">mod ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8079">module ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8146">mount ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8167">mp ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8228">ms ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8258">mu ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8363">mv ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8378">my ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8384">N ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8386">na ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8460">nc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8472">ne ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8488">net ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8622">nf ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8627">ng ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8630">ni ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8675">no ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8760">ns ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8964">om ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8997">onto ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9014">op ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9430">PD ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9445">PDP ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9447">PDP-11 ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9457">pe ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9550">ph ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9651">pl ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9739">PM ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9821">port ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9908">pr ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10023">program ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10253">query ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10256">ques ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10364">rc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10385">re ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10390">real ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10754">rl ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10767">ro ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10820">row ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10914">rw ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10918">S ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11010">sc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11078">scratch ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11150">se ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11259">serve ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11269">service ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11314">sh ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11376">si ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11506">sit ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11510">sk ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11651">so ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11745">source ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11908">SR ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11934">st ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12133">su ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12246">sy ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12309">sysop ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12359">T ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12416">tar ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12440">tc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12557">test ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12559">testing ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12588">th ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12708">tm ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12721">to ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12777">tp ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12787">tr ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12837">trash ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12896">tt ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12939">tw ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13008">ug ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13030">um ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13146">up ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13175">us ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13188">user ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13229">V ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13277">VAX ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13310">ve ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13335">version ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13366">vi ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13782">wired ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13891">X ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=14042">ye ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=14075">yt ]