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i have heard of these.... party lines... and they intruige me. perhaps you could tell me how badly they sucked? was there ever someone who just never got off the phone? could you listen to other people's conversations?
i like to get a full appreciation for modern technology by comparing it to antiquated suckiness.
besides, a little history never hurt anyone
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Yes, the party lines sucked, but then we didn't use phones like we do now. Yes, you could hear other people's conversations but I don't remember people being on the phone that long. And if there was an emergency, you just asked the other folks to hang up. They would gladly do so and ask if they could help with the problem in any way.
Appreciation for modern technology? You bet! I have a cell phone that doubles as a PDA, has all the Microsoft office applications, plays music, and has an alarm to set if I'm away from home and need to get up at a certain time. And with my bluetooth headset, I basically take my home office mobile.
Yes, us old fogies have a much greater appreciation for what we have now. And when you see us in Britannia, say "hail and well met" loudly. We can't hear very well.