Their Numbers Are Dropping - the Cellphone Refuseniks • Hacker News Board

Re: Their Numbers Are Dropping - the Cellphone Refuseniks

#11

Post by RyanMcGreal » Fri, Oct 23, 2009, 3:30 PM UTC

> For a hardy few that choose to ignore cellphones, life is a pocketful of quarters, missed connections and a smug satisfaction of marching to a different ring tone.

I'm reminded of the classic Onion article: http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28694

Full disclosure: I don't own a cellphone and my TV doesn't receive any channels. :)

Re: Their Numbers Are Dropping - the Cellphone Refuseniks

#12

Post by RyanMcGreal » Fri, Oct 23, 2009, 3:35 PM UTC

GavinB wrote: post #3

People don't get cell phones to keep things simple, but I love the simplicity of not having to plan my day ahead of time.

There seems to be a sharp generational inflection point between older people who make prior plans, and younger people who arrange things on the fly with their call phones. I must confess to be a member of the former set.

Re: Their Numbers Are Dropping - the Cellphone Refuseniks

#13

Post by hegemonicon » Fri, Oct 23, 2009, 3:40 PM UTC

jlees wrote: post #10

DannoHung wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is when you lie: "I am really, really sorry, my cell phone had no signal where we were stopped on the train." OR "I am really, really sorry, my charger stopped working last week and I just haven't had the time to get a new one." OR "I am really, really sorry, I called but I just kept getting a 'Number not in service' message."

That's the problem though, mobile communication seems to end up with so many lies, excuses, or reasons to fiddle the truth.. far more than any other medium. Sure, letters can get 'lost' in the post, an email can 'bounce' or 'sorry, it was marked as spam', but the level of active dishonesty around mobiles is crazy.

It's inherent in a synchronus communication medium like a phone call. With letters and email, you can respond at your leisure, but with a phone call you have to make an instant decision whether to answer it or not. Seeing as people both A) don't want to be rude to their friends and co-workers and B) don't want to have their lives dictated by a ringing phone, white lies ("sorry, no service", "sorry, didn't see your call") are more or less the most reasonable solution. They keep the benefits of instantaneous access and mitigate most of the drawbacks.

Re: Their Numbers Are Dropping - the Cellphone Refuseniks

#14

Post by warp » Fri, Oct 23, 2009, 3:48 PM UTC

pmichaud wrote: post #4

I resisted until my business partner insisted and the company bought me one, which I still have. I just recently got in trouble with a good friend over it though -- she is very much into the cell phone thing, and culturally, she considers it rude that I don't get back to her quickly -- she says the longest reasonable time is a return call that same day. I, on the other hand, feel like someone calling doesn't obligate…

It depends on your relationship with that person. For some of my relationships it is perfectly normal to return a call two months later.

In general it helps if you're clear about it. I have a friend with two cellphones, and she never answers either of them. I know this, and just e-mail her instead (which does get a quick response). I tell my co-workers I only read e-mail once in the morning, and they will have to walk to my office or call me if they have something more urgent (this is quite different from company culture). Etc.

Re: Their Numbers Are Dropping - the Cellphone Refuseniks

#15

Post by omgsean » Fri, Oct 23, 2009, 4:04 PM UTC

I don't think it's fair for people who don't have cell phones to call my cell phone and expect me to pick up. It's a two way street.

Re: Their Numbers Are Dropping - the Cellphone Refuseniks

#16

Post by 10ren » Fri, Oct 23, 2009, 4:38 PM UTC

I don't have a mobile phone (that's what we call them in Australia). I've had three when they were newish, including a contract coding for one.

I'd rather be more producer than consumer.

Re: Their Numbers Are Dropping - the Cellphone Refuseniks

#17

Post by silverlake » Fri, Oct 23, 2009, 4:42 PM UTC

I have no friends, so a cell phone is unnecessary.

Re: Their Numbers Are Dropping - the Cellphone Refuseniks

#18

Post by hernan7 » Fri, Oct 23, 2009, 4:48 PM UTC

AndrewDucker wrote: post #8

TrevorJ wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel that unless the person calling leaves me a message indicating what they want it's not a high priority for me to get back to them. I'm not sure if that's the norm or not, I just figure if they don't leave a voicemail then it signals that it was just a casual call I can return or not at my leisure.

I agree. If someone wants something then they text or leave a message. Otherwise I assume it was just a "Hey, how are you?" kind of call.

Or it can also be a scam "congratulations you won the prize please dial '1'" call. I get them all the time since I got my cellphone 1 year ago -- mostly in Spanish, which kind of creeps me up (how did they figure out I speak Spanish? or is it only a coincidence?)

Re: Their Numbers Are Dropping - the Cellphone Refuseniks

#19

Post by jeffcoat » Fri, Oct 23, 2009, 5:01 PM UTC

hernan7 wrote: post #18

AndrewDucker wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. If someone wants something then they text or leave a message. Otherwise I assume it was just a "Hey, how are you?" kind of call.

Or it can also be a scam "congratulations you won the prize please dial '1'" call. I get them all the time since I got my cellphone 1 year ago -- mostly in Spanish, which kind of creeps me up (how did they figure out I speak Spanish? or is it only a coincidence?)

I get Spanish spam calls on my cellphone, too, a couple of times a year... though I don't speak Spanish, so I have no idea whether or not I've won a prize.

Re: Their Numbers Are Dropping - the Cellphone Refuseniks

#20

Post by bmj » Fri, Oct 23, 2009, 5:11 PM UTC

pmichaud wrote: post #4

I resisted until my business partner insisted and the company bought me one, which I still have. I just recently got in trouble with a good friend over it though -- she is very much into the cell phone thing, and culturally, she considers it rude that I don't get back to her quickly -- she says the longest reasonable time is a return call that same day. I, on the other hand, feel like someone calling doesn't obligate…

I've had a cell phone for a long time, but the average monthly usage between my wife and myself is under 100 minutes (and probably 60 of those are because of phoning into meetings when I'm working from home). Typically the phone is buried in my bag, or the ringer is off and I don't notice it, so I'm part of the shrinking minority, too.

We are, however, considering an iPhone. We're taking an extended road trip soon (4+ weeks), and figure the ability to find a campground or coffee without searching out free wifi could be useful.