[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.