Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: btni!null!eric@uunet.uu.net (Eric J. Johnson)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: ClassMate: A Review
Message-ID: <15890@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 9 Jan 91 21:39:15 GMT
Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu
Organization: U S WEST Communications
Lines: 34
Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 17, Message 1 of 9


In <15786@accuvax.nwu.edu> dave@westmark.westmark.com (Dave Levenson)
writes:

>ClassMate is a device which allows your computer to read the caller's
>phone number on inbound calls, when this information is supplied by
>your telephone company if you have subscribed to Caller*ID service.

[ an accurate review deleted ]

I just got mine in the mail last week after enduring a three month
back order.  I immediately tossed the software that came with the
device (not particularly useful for my application), and spent this
weekend writing my own TSR to monitor the serial port continuously and
log all the calls to a file on the PC's disk.  This was accomplished
using pieces of the UUPC communications package and a TSR development
library called TESS which is available on Compu$erve.  Send me e-mail
if you have any detailed questions.

Using the calling information stored by the TSR, my Natural
MicroSystems 'Watson' card answers the phone like a normal answering
machine, but delivers an individualized personal greeting to any
calling number it recognizes.  It also records the calling number plus
the caller's name, if known, on the Rolodex-style message cards
indicating messages.  This makes it simple to review 'interesting'
messages first.

Also, any caller blocking Caller*ID receives a terse message and is
disconnected without being given an opportunity to leave a message!


Eric J. Johnson      UUCP: eric@null.uucp
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and in
no way reflect the will of Landru.  (or U S WEST Communications)