Technology Article of the Time Period

[rsadelle]

The New York Times brings us this article about "social numbers." The premise is that people don't want to give out their cell number, so instead they sign up for a "social number" that goes straight to a voice mail box they can check.

I had two thoughts about this article. My first thought (and I'm ashamed that this was the first one) was that they're missing a market: people without cell phones who don't want to give out their home phone numbers. Yeah, I know, crazy, but there are some of us without cell phones.

The article quotes the founder of one of these services who says, "Having a number that goes straight to voice mail is less intrusive," which leads to my second thought: don't answer the phone. Seriously. You do not have to take every call that comes through. There's a reason we have voice mail and answering machines.

Comments

[mister-tea.livejournal.com]

A big "Amen" to thought number two. I've never understood why some people think it's so rude not to answer a phone. I think the opposite --- it's rude to expect someone to answer the phone just because they're home. By that reasoning, whenever you call someone, you're basically saying "drop whatever you're doing and answer me within 20 seconds, or else you're being rude to me!" Seems kinda pretentious to me.

[rsadelle]

Imagine the scene: My parents' kitchen, my birthday party (last year), myself and about six of my friends standing about with my parents. Three of my friends answer their phones or make calls. My mother looks amazed and bemused; I tell her, "This is my life."

Of course, just because it happens all the time doesn't mean I like it. Bah!