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In article <1992Dec29.113821.16962@montagar.com> davidc@montagar.com (David L. Cathey) writes:
>	The only reason I don't like it, is I don't want to get on yet
>another stupid mailing list or pigeon-holed into another set of demographics
>everytime I call a store.

More and more stores are starting to use 800 numbers just for this purpose.
At least with Caller-ID you can turn off this feature. If they start using
this, they'll use 800 numbers less and you'll end up with MORE control over
who gets your phone number.

>	What problem (or whose) is this technology trying to solve,

Well, I run a BBS and I would have been glad of it a couple of years back
when some "EL1TE PHREAKE" type started prank-calling us on a regular basis.
It's gotten so bad sometimes that my wife just doesn't answer the phone.

Then there are all the people calling Allstate.

Basically, it lets people like you and me have capability the big boys
have been using for years.

>	If you want a feature that will *help* me, then get a 
>"telemarketer block" feature.

You can bet telemarketers will call with ID blocked, and if you have
anonymous call block they'll get the message. Or they turn it on and
you sit there waiting for someone to give you a $1500 bonus.

Or, if you have a PC, get a modem with Caller-ID capability, then write
a trivial program that watches the phone line. If it sees a number it
recognises it rings you, otherwise it stores the number in a file and
lets the answering machine take the call.

With a Watson card, you can have custom answering machine messages for
everyone who calls you. "I'm sick in bed" is a good one for the boss,
while your friends are getting "The big game starts at two, and I'm taking
a sicky".

The setup SWB has proposed is as good a scheme as any I have seen, though
I'd prefer per-line blocking as well (with anonymous call block per-line
isn't going to ruin the use of the feature).
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