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It's the difference between a quick, harmless glance away from what I'm doing and completely destroying the things I've got going on in my head. As for why I d

by Veratyr 10y ago

It's the difference between a quick, harmless glance away from what I'm doing and completely destroying the things I've got going on in my head. As for why I don't answer the phone in general, the idea that someone thinks they can commandeer my undivided attention for _any_ amount of time is offensive to me. I respond to IM/email quickly enough that I'm confident I won't miss anything urgent and unlike voice, those media are asynchronous and won't interrupt whatever I'm doing.

jlgaddis 10y ago
I don't answer calls from unknown numbers either but, out of curiosity, do you also not answer the door (of your home) if someone rings the doorbell but you aren't expecting anyone?
- Veratyr 10y ago
  I live in an apartment complex and don't have a functioning intercom. The only knocks at the door I get are deliveries that I expect and monitor through online tracking. Theoretically if someone were to knock, I would check through the peephole and then decide whether to open the door. If not, I'd tell them to leave. If they decide not to leave, I would contact law enforcement, regardless of the knocker's intent.
dingaling 10y ago
> the idea that someone thinks they can commandeer my undivided attention for _any_ amount of time is offensive to me. But you're participating in the framework that permits such commandeering by carrying an addressable cell phone. Society's general expectation is that someone who volunteers to buy and operate a voice-enabled phone is willing to be called. Why not buy a data-only SIM if you disagree with that fundamental premise?
- piotrkaminski 10y ago
  Presumably because he wants to be able to dial out for emergencies, and to call people who don't use instant messaging or email (e.g., local businesses, or <shudder> taxi dispatch). Plus there's the fact that many official forms require a phone number of some sort, and it seems less evil to provide a number you own but don't answer than a random one.
- Veratyr 10y ago
  I keep the SMS/voice service because: - Being able to call out is handy for interacting with antiquated infrastructure at e.g. banks, government agencies and cable companies. - There are times when I'm willing to receive scheduled calls from e.g. my accountant, my bank (fraud checks) or phone number verification for online services. - Being able to receive SMS is handy for verification and notifications of things like Amazon deliveries and Lyft pickups, while not being intrusive. - I haven't found a data-only SIM that gives me unlimited bandwidth. And I disagree that "someone who volunteers to buy and operate a voice-enabled phone is willing to be called", despite it being the norm in the past. A phone is no longer the voice + SMS device that it once was (and when it was, I would have agreed with you). It's now a small, convenient and easy to use computer, that just so happens to have a phone built in (and impossible to acquire without it).
dorfsmay 10y ago
Don't publish your number beside the 5 people (bank, accountant etc...) you are willing to receive call from. Alternatively, use a google voice number, turn the apps on only when you need to call / receive a call.
- Veratyr 10y ago
  > Don't publish your number beside the 5 people (bank, accountant etc...) you are willing to receive call from. Unfortunately this doesn't work. If the number itself has ever been used before (it has), it's already on a bunch of lists. Many banks and credit card providers will also share it with marketers.
  - dorfsmay 10y ago
    I'm not in the U.S., so maybe it's different there, but in my experience banks and credit cards to not resale/share your phone number.
    - Veratyr 10y ago
      It's very different in the US. Many banks/credit cards will share your contact info for marketing by default and require an explicit (and often burdensome) opt-out.
- jrnichols 10y ago
  This doesn't solve robocallers trying every phone number in the country, catching the ones that accidentally answer, and making lists of those to sell to others. :/

by Veratyr 10y ago

jlgaddis 10y ago

I don't answer calls from unknown numbers either but, out of curiosity, do you also not answer the door (of your home) if someone rings the doorbell but you aren't expecting anyone?

Veratyr 10y ago
I live in an apartment complex and don't have a functioning intercom. The only knocks at the door I get are deliveries that I expect and monitor through online tracking. Theoretically if someone were to knock, I would check through the peephole and then decide whether to open the door. If not, I'd tell them to leave. If they decide not to leave, I would contact law enforcement, regardless of the knocker's intent.

dingaling 10y ago

> the idea that someone thinks they can commandeer my undivided attention for _any_ amount of time is offensive to me. But you're participating in the framework that permits such commandeering by carrying an addressable cell phone. Society's general expectation is that someone who volunteers to buy and operate a voice-enabled phone is willing to be called. Why not buy a data-only SIM if you disagree with that fundamental premise?

piotrkaminski 10y ago
Presumably because he wants to be able to dial out for emergencies, and to call people who don't use instant messaging or email (e.g., local businesses, or <shudder> taxi dispatch). Plus there's the fact that many official forms require a phone number of some sort, and it seems less evil to provide a number you own but don't answer than a random one.
Veratyr 10y ago
I keep the SMS/voice service because: - Being able to call out is handy for interacting with antiquated infrastructure at e.g. banks, government agencies and cable companies. - There are times when I'm willing to receive scheduled calls from e.g. my accountant, my bank (fraud checks) or phone number verification for online services. - Being able to receive SMS is handy for verification and notifications of things like Amazon deliveries and Lyft pickups, while not being intrusive. - I haven't found a data-only SIM that gives me unlimited bandwidth. And I disagree that "someone who volunteers to buy and operate a voice-enabled phone is willing to be called", despite it being the norm in the past. A phone is no longer the voice + SMS device that it once was (and when it was, I would have agreed with you). It's now a small, convenient and easy to use computer, that just so happens to have a phone built in (and impossible to acquire without it).

dorfsmay 10y ago

Don't publish your number beside the 5 people (bank, accountant etc...) you are willing to receive call from. Alternatively, use a google voice number, turn the apps on only when you need to call / receive a call.

Veratyr 10y ago
> Don't publish your number beside the 5 people (bank, accountant etc...) you are willing to receive call from. Unfortunately this doesn't work. If the number itself has ever been used before (it has), it's already on a bunch of lists. Many banks and credit card providers will also share it with marketers.
- dorfsmay 10y ago
  I'm not in the U.S., so maybe it's different there, but in my experience banks and credit cards to not resale/share your phone number.
  - Veratyr 10y ago
    It's very different in the US. Many banks/credit cards will share your contact info for marketing by default and require an explicit (and often burdensome) opt-out.
jrnichols 10y ago
This doesn't solve robocallers trying every phone number in the country, catching the ones that accidentally answer, and making lists of those to sell to others. :/