|
drege
This space for lease

Registered: 11/04/14
Posts: 1,560
Last seen: 7 days, 1 hour
|
Did you know?
#21717627 - 05/24/15 02:09 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
You used to be able to pickup the phone (a box thing that plugged into a special wire plug in your house; the early predesessor to your cell phone)  You could dial 0, just the number 0 and nothing else, and a real person would come on and ask what they could help you with. You could ask them to connect you to jerry buckheimer or the white house, you could ask them if you were dreaming or if this was real life, you could ask them what the square root of a brachiosaurus was and they might tell you 14 or the letter w - but most usefully you could ask them what time it was, this was especially useful if you lived in an area particularly prone to power outages like the north west, north east or anywhere in between, since you were talking to an operator within your time zone, they had your time as well, they would tell you the time without the slightest hint of sarcasm and ask if they could help you with anything else. In spite of this wired device operating on an electric current it was less prone to outage than electricity that operatied your lights, more on that later
Some interesting wiki's related to this post: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_old_telephone_service http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landline#The_downside - OBJECTION YOUR HONOR! on what grounds counselor, LEADING THE WITNESS SIR, sustained. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registered_jack - Definition of RJ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone#Details_of_operation - see "VOLTAGE" http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Get-Emergency-Power-from-a-Phone-Line/ - Bet duracell hates that shit!
--------------------
https://discord.gg/hqdy5ymn
|
Matt87

Registered: 01/03/15
Posts: 3,339
Loc: Tennessee
Last seen: 3 days, 18 hours
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: drege] 1
#21717647 - 05/24/15 02:15 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
We live in the future now. Get over it.
--------------------
  Once you understand the way broadly, you see it in all things. -Musashi
|
rackem



Registered: 11/27/09
Posts: 14,024
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: drege]
#21717657 - 05/24/15 02:16 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
0 411 being able to go someplace without work being able to find you.
it was a good time. being able to slam the phone down and hear the ring of the bell.
|
drege
This space for lease

Registered: 11/04/14
Posts: 1,560
Last seen: 7 days, 1 hour
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: rackem]
#21717695 - 05/24/15 02:27 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Oh thats right!! the slam ring, Try that with your cell phone Matt87 - it used to feel so good to hang up on someone when you couldn't break the phone.
--------------------
https://discord.gg/hqdy5ymn
|
Salomon
ಠ︵ಠ balance ಠ_ಠ weaver ಠ‿ಠ

Registered: 01/17/09
Posts: 25,128
Loc: America, FUCK YEAH
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: drege]
#21717719 - 05/24/15 02:33 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
am i the only one who still has a land line?
-------------------- EVERYTHING EVENTUALLY BECOMES A DESERT
|
rackem



Registered: 11/27/09
Posts: 14,024
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: Salomon]
#21717721 - 05/24/15 02:34 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
yeah.. i havent had a land line in over a decade.
|
Sun King



Registered: 02/15/14
Posts: 4,069
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: Salomon]
#21717723 - 05/24/15 02:35 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
My grandpa has a land line.
--------------------
|
4runner


Registered: 07/16/10
Posts: 15,406
Loc: State of Jefferson
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: Salomon]
#21717834 - 05/24/15 03:02 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
drege said:but most usefully you could ask them what time it was,
Where I lived(N.Ca) we just dialed pop-corn or rather 767-xxxx any last four numbers.
Dialing 0 was great, it was the free 411, with a personal touch.
Quote:
Salomon said: am i the only one who still has a land line?
I actually just disconnected my land line about 3 months ago. Finally got cable internet in my area and didn't want a cable and phone bill, especially since my wireless phone is so expensive. First time I have only had a cell phone for service.
Edited by 4runner (05/24/15 03:04 PM)
|
Dark_Star
train driver pervading a desktop


Registered: 08/20/04
Posts: 31,859
Loc: Uranus
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: 4runner]
#21717906 - 05/24/15 03:24 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
I remember when the neighborhood I grew up in had one shared phoneline. If someone else in the neighborhood was on the phone when we went to make a call, you'd hear their conversation, and have to hang up & wait til they were done.
--------------------
|
Le_Canard
The Duk Abides


Registered: 05/16/03
Posts: 94,392
Loc: Earthfarm 1
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: drege]
#21717939 - 05/24/15 03:35 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Being almost 50 now, I do remember those things. Technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in the intervening years, that's for sure. It make me feel rather old, TBH. 
P.S. I got me one of those primitive landline things too, along with a AT&T Freedom phone I've had for almost 15 years. Still works fine, and hey, at least I don't have to replace the thing every year or so like you have to do with them newfangled Smart Phones you kids have now.
|
Matt87

Registered: 01/03/15
Posts: 3,339
Loc: Tennessee
Last seen: 3 days, 18 hours
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: drege]
#21718061 - 05/24/15 04:19 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
drege said:
Oh thats right!! the slam ring, Try that with your cell phone Matt87 - it used to feel so good to hang up on someone when you couldn't break the phone.
Come on now guys aren't we also forgetting the feeling of calling a friend or loved one when you REALLY need to speak with them? The not knowing. I guess I was a kid when that's all there really was, but that was a scary feeling. I'm glad phones kick ass now. I'm talking to you guys on my phone right now!
--------------------
  Once you understand the way broadly, you see it in all things. -Musashi
|
Supachopped719
Stranger


Registered: 10/16/13
Posts: 3,311
Last seen: 3 years, 10 months
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: Matt87]
#21718083 - 05/24/15 04:28 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Old phones were cool I guess. I had one that was clear plastic, so you could see all the inner workings and wires and shit.
-posted from my Iphone 6
-------------------- Real Eyes Realize Real Lies.
|
drege
This space for lease

Registered: 11/04/14
Posts: 1,560
Last seen: 7 days, 1 hour
|
|
Pranking people before *69. My favorite prank calling was to the marine recruitment center using recordings of Sgnt gunnery heartman from full metal jacket. I actually had the recruitment guy that answered the phone sputtering sir and no sir for almost 20 seconds before I lost my shit laughing. I did it again for posterity purposes using http://www.kdkprankcalls.com/soundboards/movies/full_metal_jacket.swf and a pay as you go a few years ago, but was promptly called back by my local police and warned against continuing to harass people.
|
Le_Canard
The Duk Abides


Registered: 05/16/03
Posts: 94,392
Loc: Earthfarm 1
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: drege]
#21718876 - 05/24/15 09:08 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
|
Astral Pain
Strange

Registered: 11/10/14
Posts: 2,923
Loc: Chicago
|
|
The best crank call were done with three way calling. You could call two of your friends who hated each other and listen in, or get creative with it by calling two chinese takeouts and here them ramble incoherently. Or the times before knowing what a fax machine was and thinking your call was being traced from the weird sounds. You could make an entire day out of cranking with your friends when bored out of your minds. Good times
-------------------- "I don't mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am, so that's how it comes out" -Bill Hicks-
_ _
|
Supachopped719
Stranger


Registered: 10/16/13
Posts: 3,311
Last seen: 3 years, 10 months
|
|
Caller ID ruined the phone. There was something about the mystery of who was calling. Was it a babe or just your mom calling to tell you to mow the lawn?
-------------------- Real Eyes Realize Real Lies.
|
Adden

Registered: 06/04/03
Posts: 39,201
Loc:
|
|
Quote:
Dark_Star said: I remember when the neighborhood I grew up in had one shared phoneline. If someone else in the neighborhood was on the phone when we went to make a call, you'd hear their conversation, and have to hang up & wait til they were done.
You had a party line? Nice, haha.
|
Astral Pain
Strange

Registered: 11/10/14
Posts: 2,923
Loc: Chicago
|
|
And cordless phones with frequencies below 900 mhz were being phased out. I remember being able to pick up the neighbors conversation off of my own wireless set back in the day. I even bought an old Bearcat scanner as a kid and hooked it up to the roof antenna to pick up calls throughout the neighborhood. I knew who was who from the addresses when someone ordered a pizza. I even overheard some married guy talking to his mistress about their cheating escapades and him arguing with his wife about his whereabouts. It was like a real life soap opera with some jr. nsa technology.
-------------------- "I don't mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am, so that's how it comes out" -Bill Hicks-
_ _
|
drege
This space for lease

Registered: 11/04/14
Posts: 1,560
Last seen: 7 days, 1 hour
|
|
We have a 2nd gen phreak in our midst folks.
--------------------
https://discord.gg/hqdy5ymn
|
Shroomism
Space Travellin



Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 66,015
Loc: 9th Dimension
|
Re: Did you know? [Re: drege]
#21719236 - 05/24/15 11:34 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Half the kids on this forum probably don't even know what a land line is, OP.
--------------------
|
|