Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!think.com!mintaka!spdcc!iecc!johnl
From: johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us (John R. Levine)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: Caller ID:  Is comp.dcom.telecom biased?
Message-ID: <1991Jan30.042153.13447@iecc.cambridge.ma.us>
Date: 30 Jan 91 04:21:53 GMT
References: <15377@milton.u.washington.edu>
Organization: I.E.C.C.
Lines: 33

The moderator of the Telecom Digest is extremely biased, and makes no
attempt to hide it.  His attitude is far easier to understand when you
realize that in real life he works as a high-powered bill collector.

Sometimes I wish he were less adamant about his opinions, but I know from
experience that running such a mailing list or moderated news group is a lot
of work, and he puts a lot of effort into it.  (I run comp.compilers, a far
smaller and less controversial group.)  He does a credible job, and I'm happy
to live with him.

As far as Caller ID goes, I have noted many times that for the purposes of
deterring annoying callers, other CLASS features are at least as useful as
Caller ID.  Call Trace records the number of the last call at telco, so
that you can call them later and report an annoying call.  They can
retrieve the number and do something with it.

Another even more useful feature for stopping annoying calls is Call
Block.  It lets you enter a set of phone numbers that you don't want to
hear from.  When any of them call, they get a recording saying that you're
not accepting their calls, and your phone doesn't ring.  As well as
entering specific numbers, you can also tell it to add whoever just called
to the blocked list.

Call Trace, unlike Caller ID requires neither presubscription nor special
equipment.  By comparison, Caller ID requires a special box to display the
phone number that costs between $50 - $100, and you have to sign up.  In
New Jersey, one of the few places where this is all turned on, Caller ID
costs $6.50/month, Call Block $4/month, and Call Trace $1/use.

-- 
John R. Levine, IECC, POB 349, Cambridge MA 02238, +1 617 864 9650
johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us, {ima|spdcc|world}!iecc!johnl
" #(ps,#(rs))' " - L. P. Deutsch and C. N. Mooers