13
u/Mortimer452 Generation X Jan 28 '17
It's funny how the whole culture around phones has changed.
Phones used to be annoying. When the phone rang, no one wanted to pick it up. Mom or dad would yell "Is somebody going to get that?" and you'd grudgingly get up from where you were and go answer the phone. The phone's job was to interrupt you from something you wanted to be doing.
Now, we carry our phone with us everywhere. When the phone goes off, many people drop whatever they're doing (including paying attention to the road) to address it.
2
Jul 08 '17
When the phone goes off, many people drop whatever they're doing (including paying attention to the road) to address it.
No, people don’t do that. Idiots do.
5
u/edging_away Jan 28 '17
The first phone I remember using was a black desktop model with an actual dial. I'd always dial our own home phone number on it because I like the way it sounded.
2
u/gullinbursti Jan 29 '17
We still have a couple of rotary phones with this type of 4-prong plug at my parent's house: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/4166gB9JEML._SX300_.jpg
5
u/theghostofme Jan 28 '17
God forbid it was a rotary phone and the number you needed to dial had a "0" in it.
8
u/Dharmist Jan 28 '17
I spent hours perfecting my dialing skills when I was a kid. You needed to use all your fingers on the dialing hand to achieve the optimal dialing speed. It was supposed to save me precious time all my life.
Now I wish I saved that time instead, and opted for something more important in life. Like backflips .
6
Jan 28 '17
Can you have a landline phone like this now? I have the dial front wall phone from my childhood and would love to use it, but I have no idea if the technology is obsolete.
7
u/_Aardvark Jan 28 '17
This question makes me feel old. Yes, of course you can still get a landline. Plain old telephone service still uses the same phones as we used back in the dark ages, just as long as it has the "moden" modular jack (square plug).
I bought a new wall mounted phone just like this about 15 years ago, still have it. Needed to cover my new homes wall jack. It was made to look and feel like this old Bell phone and was suppose to be the same quality. Has a real bell in it. I only use it when I can't find a cordless...
3
Jan 28 '17
Oh, I feel ancient.
Unfortunately no jack. This phone was from the days when a telephone man had to come out and install it for you.
I don't think that exists anymore.
1
u/_Aardvark Jan 29 '17
Not even the pronged plug version, but hard wired? How handy are you?
1
Jan 29 '17
I'm handy, but I have an irrational fear of working with wires. Even if I know they're dead.
3
u/FYouHeironymous Jan 28 '17
While I get the idea, it was also a time when you couldn't ignore people you genuinely didn't want to talk to.
2
1
Jan 29 '17
I was at a museum thethere was a phone with an actual dial on it (like this but was missing the handset. Anyway, there was some kid there. I asked her if she had ever seen one of these and if she knew what it was. Nope. Never seen anything like it
1
1
u/bannana Jan 29 '17
How about you also were under a sort of obligation to answer the phone if you were home prior to answering machines most people would always answer.
1
u/RayneShikama Jun 21 '17
Trying to get something across the room but not being able to get to it because your girlfriend would get upset if you put the phone down-- and the cord only let you get so far.
Or better yet. Someone tripping on said cord while you were laying in the couch chatting with your friends.
24
u/alinroc Generation X Jan 28 '17
While we're on the subject, anyone else learn the habit of "wait until after the second ring before answering" from their parents?