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"911 doesn't ring sometimes" in this context means that there's good signal and can call non-emergency numbers using ordinary phone networks, but for some reaso

"911 doesn't ring sometimes" in this context means that there's good signal and can call non-emergency numbers using ordinary phone networks, but for some reason can't handle emergency calls correctly (and yes, you could call the GSM-wise non-emergency but legally-wise long emergency number for your area normally, it's just you're more likely to not know it in an actual emergency). That's not just "scary", it's a life-threatening defect similar to a faulty airbag (where you don't need it now but it must work in an emergency).

throwaway290 4y ago
Thanks for reinforcing my point. Indeed, the phone has a life-threatening defect and I would never own one. "Failure to dial 911" is a scary defect for a phone. Where the title makes a logical mistake and is misleading in order to be sensational is that, assuming "dialing 911" as given context, "phone doesn't ring sometimes" is probably the least scary issue possible. In fact, it's the most common way dialing a number can go wrong. It's easy to imagine countless worse things that will radically worsen your outcomes in a life or death situation (such as: phone bricking itself, phone exploding in your hands, phone becoming subsequently unable to make any call, phone making loud noise that alerts the attacker that you are making a 911 call, so on so forth). Perhaps for a native speaker it's not as obvious that "'very scary' issue dialing 911" here is a semantically illogical construct, but I assure you it is. Example of one that isn't: "'very scary' issue with a Pixel phone involving 911 calls".
- zinekeller 4y ago
  First, this article is targeted to the general population, not to anal-retentive HN commenters. You're nitpicking on technicalities which while tolerated on posts by HN users (although heavily discouraged unless it's of a technical nature) is definitely out for general articles. Even the guidelines are clear about this: "Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that's easier to criticize. Assume good faith." Second, the Note 7 exploding is also scary, but to the average population (in the US anyway) a phone that bulges and physically explodes is as dangerous as not being to reliably summon emergency services.
  - throwaway290 4y ago
    I merely clarified what the downvoted comment's author meant so that those who reflexively started to argue with it would see they are actually in agreement on substance if they gave it any thought. Talk about generous interpretation and anal reflexiveness. > a phone that bulges and physically explodes is as dangerous as not being to reliably summon emergency services. If you are putting forth that a phone exploding when you make a 911 call is an issue of the same magnitude as a phone occasionally not ringing when you make a 911 call, I don't see what else we can discuss...
    - Dylan16807 4y ago
      They said the title was clickbait. You're saying it's illogical. The latter is an incorrect claim, and you're the one making it.
      - throwaway290 4y ago
        As I tried to explain, the title is misrepresenting reality in the direction of exaggeration. Which is probably the definition of clickbait, so the original commenter is not wrong.
        Dylan16807 4y ago
        But you also went too far in your criticism of the title.
        throwaway290 4y ago
        I don't think there's a reason to pursue this but I can't see how this is too far. I wrote: > title implies "911 doesn't ring sometimes" ∈ "very scary issue dialing 911", that is incorrect to summarize why the downvoted comment said the title is clickbait. (As in, it’s a scary issue with the phone, but if we limit to the domain of issues when dialing 911 then 'not ringing sometimes' is not scary, it's mundane.)

throwaway290 4y ago

Thanks for reinforcing my point. Indeed, the phone has a life-threatening defect and I would never own one. "Failure to dial 911" is a scary defect for a phone. Where the title makes a logical mistake and is misleading in order to be sensational is that, assuming "dialing 911" as given context, "phone doesn't ring sometimes" is probably the least scary issue possible. In fact, it's the most common way dialing a number can go wrong. It's easy to imagine countless worse things that will radically worsen your outcomes in a life or death situation (such as: phone bricking itself, phone exploding in your hands, phone becoming subsequently unable to make any call, phone making loud noise that alerts the attacker that you are making a 911 call, so on so forth). Perhaps for a native speaker it's not as obvious that "'very scary' issue dialing 911" here is a semantically illogical construct, but I assure you it is. Example of one that isn't: "'very scary' issue with a Pixel phone involving 911 calls".

zinekeller 4y ago
First, this article is targeted to the general population, not to anal-retentive HN commenters. You're nitpicking on technicalities which while tolerated on posts by HN users (although heavily discouraged unless it's of a technical nature) is definitely out for general articles. Even the guidelines are clear about this: "Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that's easier to criticize. Assume good faith." Second, the Note 7 exploding is also scary, but to the average population (in the US anyway) a phone that bulges and physically explodes is as dangerous as not being to reliably summon emergency services.
- throwaway290 4y ago
  I merely clarified what the downvoted comment's author meant so that those who reflexively started to argue with it would see they are actually in agreement on substance if they gave it any thought. Talk about generous interpretation and anal reflexiveness. > a phone that bulges and physically explodes is as dangerous as not being to reliably summon emergency services. If you are putting forth that a phone exploding when you make a 911 call is an issue of the same magnitude as a phone occasionally not ringing when you make a 911 call, I don't see what else we can discuss...
  - Dylan16807 4y ago
    They said the title was clickbait. You're saying it's illogical. The latter is an incorrect claim, and you're the one making it.
    - throwaway290 4y ago
      As I tried to explain, the title is misrepresenting reality in the direction of exaggeration. Which is probably the definition of clickbait, so the original commenter is not wrong.
      - Dylan16807 4y ago
        But you also went too far in your criticism of the title.
        throwaway290 4y ago
        I don't think there's a reason to pursue this but I can't see how this is too far. I wrote: > title implies "911 doesn't ring sometimes" ∈ "very scary issue dialing 911", that is incorrect to summarize why the downvoted comment said the title is clickbait. (As in, it’s a scary issue with the phone, but if we limit to the domain of issues when dialing 911 then 'not ringing sometimes' is not scary, it's mundane.)