what do you think of alternate positions of sound holes on acoustic guitars.

I’m kind of a traditionalist. I think some instruments have improved over the years. In many instruments the vintage and antiques are highly desired over modern instruments and for many reasons including materials, techniques, and craftsmanship. 

This modification may compromise the instruments ability to project more efficiently to the audience. I guess my ears are acclimated to old school construction. It’s likely the sound holes traditional location is based on vibration ergonomic and optimum acoustic points of sound, escaping the sound box at an a point for the best tone while restricting waveform clashing/interference.

Still I’d like to hear one.

Sound holes do many things. They act as a port, a relief of pressure building as the air volume resonates, a way for reflective and/or consonant vibrations from the air volume and back to mix with the vibrations of the top, and it also alters the resonant frequency of the air cavity (the resonance of the top, back and air cavity are each important in how they interact).

The most important, I think, is the fact that there is a big chunk where there is not only no bracing, but also no top wood opposite the X from the bridge. So, the area behind the X and behind the bridge hits hard with a monopole vibration, and lacking wood on the opposite end loosens this up, and is (in my humble opinion) the reason for the open, clear tone of guitars with regular soundholes. When you ditch the traditional soundhole, especially on X-braced instruments, the guitar can have a more interesting sound, but it tends to lose volume and fundamental tone, though it might have more projection at longer distances as the long dipole increases (hence the popularity of F-holes in instruments during certain eras).

By having a soundhole on the rim, do you mean on the side, or on the top near the side? Side ports are funny things. They make the guitar sound different to the player, but they tend to have remarkably little impact on the tone of the instrument out in front. I know some luthiers have experimented with cutting holes and then making plugs so they can A/B it, and strangely they find no detectable differences. My guess is that A) the top and back are reflective in such a way that the sides are purely functional, important mostly just in their dimensions, and B) once you have adequate porting, you don't have the compression/vacuum issues of being completely unported and it ultimately makes no difference in that regard. I would also guess that if you ported the sides enough (to an extreme, say, with more open space than closed) you'd dramatically change the sound with phase cancellations (think an open back cab on an amp) and/or poor coupling between the top and back, but you'd need quite a bit of open space to hit that point I think.

Side sound holes.. a silly affectation.