Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!think!samsung!munnari.oz.au!bruce!mlacus!ash
From: ash@mlacus.oz (Ash Nallawalla)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: 1st BBS in USSR
Message-ID: <240@mlacus.oz>
Date: 2 Jan 90 11:05:08 GMT
Organization: The Australian Centre for Unisys Software
Lines: 24


Someone commented on the way an international telephone number was written. Our telecom regularly asks people to quote numbers in the recommended manner, e.g.  +1 212 555-1212, +61 3 820-1434 etc.  I know of two problems with this idea:

In Australia the capital cities mainly have two-digit area codes, and I would   describe my phone number locally as (03) 823-1959.  An overseas visitor who onlyhad my "international" number, ie 61 3 823-1959, had no luck calling me from    another part of Australia - because he falsely assumed that the internal area   code was 003 (country areas use three-digit area codes, and 003 is probably a   valid code).  In other countries, the area codes run to four, possibly five     digits, for country areas.

The main problem is likely to be the BBS software which was US in origin.  It   probably gave the caller no option but to enter a (xxx) xxx-xxxx format number. I have seen a similar BBS package in use in Melbourne, where I had to enter my  03 area code as 003, as it wouldn't let me past otherwise.  Let me mount my
soapbox:

Unfortunately for the rest of us most computer software and literature is North American in origin.  No hassles there, but how many coupons have you seen where a country field is shown?  I have great fun trying to sneak in "Australia" in a City or Street field.  I feel sorry for British readers whose addresses run into6-8 lines and wonder how they fill in US coupons.  For some time I received a
magazine via Austria because in the days of five-digit US Zip codes the mail    house decided to abbreviate the country name to AUSTA and put in the the Zip 
field! (Fall off soapbox)

Re abbreviating Colorado: I once had a similar problem.  I sent a QSL card
request to a radio station in Pt Girardeau, MO but I tried to be smart and
spelled out the state as Montana.  The station got my letter some  months 
later and gave a little lesson in geography (in the nicest way). Even now I 
have to stop and think whether Massachusetts is MA or MS, Minnesota is MN or
MI etc.  It is safer to spell out or use a non-USPS abbreviation. (I remember
when PA was Penna!)
.
-- 
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Ash Nallawalla           [D[D[D      Tel: +61 3 823-1959  Fax: +61 3 820-1434
ZL4LM/VK3CIT          Postal: P.O. Box 539, Werribee VIC 3030, Australia.