Anti Digit Dialing League

[Bustercat]

Friday, Jul. 13, 1962

When Bell System executives grandly announced that all telephone exchange names would soon be replaced by seven-digit numbers in the name of progress, they presupposed the blind acceptance of a benumbed and be-numbered public. They were wrong: the telephone company is now facing a minor rebellion. In San Francisco last week the Anti-Digit Dialing League was incorporated to oppose "creeping numeralism."

The A.D.D.L. was born a month ago when a want ad by angry San Francisco Organizer Carl V. May rallied a band of bitter anti-digit men, including famed Semanticist S. I. Hayakawa of San Francisco State College. Soon San Francisco lapels were sprouting A.D.D.L. buttons.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,827416,00.html

More:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...tMQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CYwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6229,2038636

 

[Gingerella72]

I love watching old movies or TV shows that show the character making a phone call and asking the operator for "Tyler 3562" or something....I imagine people who had those named exchanges would have seen the loss of it as akin to losing an old friend.

I wonder if today we could start the Anti-Blind Acceptance Of Cell Phones And All Of Their Over-Hyped Accessories League....?

 

[Brad Bowers]

I list my office number on my syllabi using the old exchange name rather than the digits. Hasn't prevented anyone from getting a hold of me, though no one has ever remarked on it.

Brad

 

[Bustercat]

I do that on mine too!

I lucked out, and have my choice of MErcury or NEptune. MErcury sounds nice and "get the job done quickly."

 

[Undertow]

I do that on mine too!

I lucked out, and have my choice of MErcury or NEptune. MErcury sounds nice and "get the job done quickly."

Bustercat, you don't teach English do you? And you weren't at ISU at any point, correct?

 

[skyvue]

I used to give out my home exchange (YUkon 9-...) until NYC starting requiring the area code on all calls.

"212-YUkon-9..." Just doesn't have the same pizzazz.

 

[Bustercat]

Bustercat, you don't teach English do you? And you weren't at ISU at any point, correct?

No, not a teacher. I did teach English in nothern India about 10 years ago (McLeod-Ganj/Dharamsala)
ISU... would that be in Berlin, by any chance?

I used to give out my home exchange (YUkon 9-...) until NYC starting requiring the area code on all calls.

"212-YUkon-9..." Just doesn't have the same pizzazz.

I usually do it this way:

"Mercury 3 xxxx, in the 510 area code."
Though it works better these days in writing.

If enough people post about it on facebook, enough people will at least recognize how it works to make it easier for us to use.
I did this:

My old-style phone number is MErcury 3 xxxx. What's yours?
http://www.ourwebhome.com/TENP/Recommended.html
1. Find the first 2 numbers of your phone on the chart.
2. Pick the coolest word.
3. Get new business cards!

Got a lot of responses.

Thursday at 4:45pm ·

 

[Warbaby]

Aaakk! I can't do it according to the chart - my number begins with 95 which was reserved for radio telephone numbers. Rats. And as far as I can figure, there aren't any real words that begin with any of the possible letter combinations. I guess I'll have to go with XL and pretend there's a word to follow...

 

[Bustercat]

ylang ylang?

wladimir?

zloty (the currency of poland)?

gotta be more

 

[Sgt Brown]

Check this:

http://ourwebhome.com/TENP/Recommended.html

Sarge