[corin_]

I love the comparison, but I would imagine that due to mobile phones and contact lists, it's quite possible to be in love without knowing any phone numbers.

Personally I know the numbers of the (at a guess) 20 people I call most often, but I always assumed that, in 2011, I'm the exception not the rule.

Not particularly relevant, his point stands either way, just interested to know if other people on HN still find themselves memorising phone numbers.

[Jebdm]

The only numbers I know are the ones that haven't changed since before I was a teenager (basically just my parents' numbers and 911), my own Google Voice number, and Bing 411. That's partially because I can always look up numbers in my contacts, on Facebook, or online, and partially because I make phone calls less than once a week.

[pavel_lishin]

I don't bother remembering a phone number, unless calling that number will result in the person on the other end bailing me out of jail.

So far, 100% success rate.

[lanstein]

wrt being bailed out of jail?

[sankyo]

in 2011 we do not know phone numbers anymore, but those braincells now store passwords.

[cydonian_monk]

I don't directly remember any new numbers, but I know how the DTMF sequence for the number is supposed to sound when dialed. I could always work back from that to get a human-readable phone number if I needed it.

Like Jebdm, the only numbers I really know are those that haven't changed in a few decades and my own cell number. But I also prefer face to face conversation over telephone, so I'm only likely to call you if I can't find you. (And then I'm more likely to just text or e-mail....)

[evgeny0]

Are you joking or did you used to be a phreaker? That is hardcore! +1

[cydonian_monk]

No joke, though I'm not an old phone phreak (sorta...). It's just like remembering music - every number sings its own 10 note song.

At least it was until my cellphone stopped playing back DTMFs for stored numbers. SIP and quiet dialing have almost killed the music.

[mattm]

I got a new phone number three weeks ago and I still haven't memorized my own phone number.

[run4yourlives]

Use address then.

[corin_]

Ironically the opposite for me. I can tell you my father's mobile and home numbers, but not his address (I know the post code but not the flat number...), despite visiting him 2-3 times a month.

I can also tell you my grandmother's number, but not her address. Again, I'll visit her maybe twice as often as I'll call her (not that many times in a year, she lives 60 miles ago).

[danssig]

I'm a landmark person. I don't know the address of where I work, I just know what the places I need to turn at look like.