🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <8602060733.AA12585@ucbvax.berkeley.edu> Mike says:

> I've heard that there's a company that's going to market a nationwide
> directory assistance database on a CD-ROM for use with your favorite
> home computer. [...]

France has a nation-wide computerized such system.  You hook your
Minitel (a special terminal-cum-modem given free by the Telephone
Company to any user upon request) to the phone line, dial 11, and
then can look up phone numbers anywhere in France according to
different search keys, such as name, occupation (e.g., physicians
or travel agencies etc...), street address.  And the service is free
for the 1st 2 minutes or so.

Incidentally, many nationwide computerized public and private services
now use this Minitel.  For instance, banks, which allow one to monitor
one's checking account through minitel; train and airlines; real estate;
entertainment; dating; and many more.  And it works!

Michel