On Sat, 7 Aug 2010 23:35:54 -0400, "Robert Green"
wrote:

"Jan Philips" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 6 Aug 2010 10:09:17 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I think the last phone guy might have used twisted pair wire, for my
phone.

I remember the days when everyone had an indoor phone. Now a lot of
people have to go outside to make a phone call.

It took me a while to get that, but it's pretty funny. Right after the huge
tree in my front yard was taken down, I began to notice young neighbors
appearing right in the area where the tree had been. At first I couldn't
figure out what was going on. Druids? Treehuggers in mourning? "Why are
all these different kids come out to stand one by one in front of my house,
pacing around with the hands on their heads?"

Then I saw the cellphones and realized that they had walked around until
they could find a strong signal on their phones. Apparently I own a "sweet
spot" now that the big tree is gone.

Or they're still programmed to talk by that tree. The difference being that
you can see them now. ;-)

Phone call "quality of service" is but one of many ways we've given up
something to accept new technology. None of the phone conversations I have
with people on various devices are of the consistent quality they when the
world was only analog landlines. I hear echoes, time delays, other
conversations, doppler shifting Star Trek sounds and the cackling of the
Devil himself on the lines. I wonder if this is the new status quo and it
will never get better?

I doubt it. It's "good enough". Any new bandwidth will always be put to
other uses.

In the same vein, I used to be able to watch at least three major TV
stations in my basement on a portable analog TV with a little snow - now all
I get is buzz and "failure to receive" on every digital channel.

Other uses. ;-)

You know that times are changing when a company advertises a cell phone you
can watch Avatar on. *Why* would you *want* to watch Avatar on your
cellphone?

LOL! I can't imagine spending tens of hours on the phone per month. I don't
"get" text messaging, either. Email, fine. SMS?

SWMBO uses an hour or two (kid is out of state) on her cell phone. I think I
use *maybe* ten minutes a month on mine (when she calls). BTW, we have no
land line.