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0 pointsricardobeat1y ago0 comments

There was literally no other way to get in contact with anyone, other than ringing their doorbell if you already knew where they lived, or asking around. Getting unlisted was unusual, and for most, would defeat the point of having a phone in the first place.

At least where I was from, early 90s, exchanging contacts was not something people did casually either, only for business or love (email/ICQ changed this when they appeared). I had a handful of numbers memorized, but would use the phonebook even for extended family. You’d have their number highlighted or earmarked in the phonebook instead of keeping your own.

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cool_dude851y ago

My experience was people having little notebooks, made-for-purpose, usually called address books, where you had everyone alphabetical by last name.

refulgentis1y ago

That reminds me of how things I considered mandatory previously (carrying small notebook + pen). They weren't mandatory, and most people won't do the manual thing. Don't get me wrong, you'd keep important addresses, say, your grandma out of town. And of course, professionally. But by and large, people just expected you to be in the phone book and vice versa. It also meant calling someone you knew without explicitly being given their number wasn't a faux pas. Now that I think about it, a lot of things were easier. Sigh

damiankennedy1y ago

Some phones had a slot where you could insert made to fit cards with common numbers.

cbsks1y ago

Some had custom numbers that could be dialed by pressing the “mem” key followed by a number key. There would be a little slip of paper which you would write in “1: Grandma, 2: Dad work…”. Simpler times.

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jhbadger1y ago

Even in the early 2000s, when I dropped my landline, my parents (born in the 1930s) were aghast. "How will people get in contact with you? You won't be in the phone book!"

tonyedgecombe1y ago

The only reason we still have a landline is because of my elderly parents. My dad complained at me the other day because my mobile number is always changing (it has been the same for 26 years).

TylerE1y ago

I didn’t finally talk my parents into dropping their landline until 3 months ago.

technofiend1y ago

Had an aunt who wanted to be reachable but only by her friends in the know. She confided to me in the late 70s if I needed her she was listed under J.P. Sartre.

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