[gregmac]

> if you were a big celebrity, you could get an "unlisted" number (I think you had to pay for it), but that was relatively rare.

Anyone could do it.

It almost seems like extortion: "pay us $$ or we'll publish your name, address and number in a huge book that we'll deliver to everyone in the city!" I guess you probably agree when you get a phone line hooked up, though.

[rstuart4133]

> It almost seems like extortion

The instincts you have about privacy today are inappropriate for back then. It's hard to get to your mind around the difference sending an email, or making a phone call, or sending an SMS to anyone in the world being nearly free makes.

Back then in most countries even a local phone call cost a couple of dollars in today's money. Interstate and international phone calls had background 30 second beeps to remind you dollars were being poured down the phone line.

The effect of spam is obvious - there wasn't any. But you probably aren't thinking about the other end of the scale - what was an upcoming phone call worth to you? The answer to that is almost unimaginable in today's world - receiving a random international phone call is almost certainly worth the interruption many times over. That meant having your name, address and phone number published in a directory was definitely worth it. It was worth it to the phone company too, of course, because it increased the usage their network. So they provided the listing for free. It was a win, win for everyone.

To get a feel for how much it's changed consider the yellow pages. Businesses paid huge sums to the phone companies to get their phone numbers listed in other places in addition to the free one. The value of every phone call they got made it worth the money. Now I struggle to get to find the the phone numbers of many companies. It seems they go out of their way to hide it. That's the difference the price of a phone call feeling to zero makes.

[pomian]

That part about trying to find a phone number, rings so true. (!) Have a Normal question? Go to a supplier website, scroll around, find tabs, find a go to contacts form, fill in form, etc. But all I want is a quick question. Sometimes, even as simple as, what town is this company in?

[ricardobeat]

There was literally no other way to get in contact with anyone, other than ringing their doorbell if you already knew where they lived, or asking around. Getting unlisted was unusual, and for most, would defeat the point of having a phone in the first place.

At least where I was from, early 90s, exchanging contacts was not something people did casually either, only for business or love (email/ICQ changed this when they appeared). I had a handful of numbers memorized, but would use the phonebook even for extended family. You’d have their number highlighted or earmarked in the phonebook instead of keeping your own.

[cool_dude85]

My experience was people having little notebooks, made-for-purpose, usually called address books, where you had everyone alphabetical by last name.

[refulgentis]

That reminds me of how things I considered mandatory previously (carrying small notebook + pen). They weren't mandatory, and most people won't do the manual thing. Don't get me wrong, you'd keep important addresses, say, your grandma out of town. And of course, professionally. But by and large, people just expected you to be in the phone book and vice versa. It also meant calling someone you knew without explicitly being given their number wasn't a faux pas. Now that I think about it, a lot of things were easier. Sigh

[damiankennedy]

Some phones had a slot where you could insert made to fit cards with common numbers.

[cbsks]

Some had custom numbers that could be dialed by pressing the “mem” key followed by a number key. There would be a little slip of paper which you would write in “1: Grandma, 2: Dad work…”. Simpler times.

[kid64]

This is called "speed dial" and it's still a standard feature on desk phones.

[thejazzman]

You know, in the year 2000, we'll all be on speed dial.

https://amphetamem.es/meme?id=seinfeld_08_20_145&timestamp=0...

[jhbadger]

Even in the early 2000s, when I dropped my landline, my parents (born in the 1930s) were aghast. "How will people get in contact with you? You won't be in the phone book!"

[tonyedgecombe]

The only reason we still have a landline is because of my elderly parents. My dad complained at me the other day because my mobile number is always changing (it has been the same for 26 years).

[TylerE]

I didn’t finally talk my parents into dropping their landline until 3 months ago.

[technofiend]

Had an aunt who wanted to be reachable but only by her friends in the know. She confided to me in the late 70s if I needed her she was listed under J.P. Sartre.

[xattt]

It was a common thing for physicians to do to avoid having patients pester them in their time off. I believe it was a $20 charge, but can’t remember if it was per year or month.