At 5:20 AM -0400 11/11/2000, k.camplate wrote:
>This is funny, because it's true. When I had my senior project in college
>one of my ideas was to build such a phone or at worse a dedicated computer
>to answer the phone for me. I did some serious research into it: trying to
>get the codes from the phone company that are used with the caller ID
>system, voice recognition software, and my favorite was finding what noise
>levels and frequencies would be best that would cause an automatic response
>but not actual damage. Like getting the telemarketer to mess themselves,
>something harmless. The phone couldn't handle the frequencies involved. I
>was even thinking of just a simple in-line device that would have a button
>on it that would transmit a sound downstream to the caller.
>
>My professor quashed the idea.
Well, I'm not sure if it would work on fiberoptics (suspect not) but with
older copper-wiring, you can deliver a shock of varying degrees to a
telemarketer or anyone else on the line. I read about this somewhere, but
it was nasty and involved a really big battery and hints that it could be
fatal.
But infinitely more cunning would be the really interesting, annoying, and
disturbing filter system that would do things like catch the call before
you answer it and just harass the telemarketer. "Hello? Hello? I'm sorry?
Oh, hi. Yes? Mmmmm hmmmm. Yes... Oooh, tell me more. [20 minutes later]
Well, I should warn you, I am simply a filtration device attached to the
phone line you attempted to call. My owner has no interest in your product,
and encourages you to remove him from your calling list. Have a nice
afternoon." [click]
Still, there will always be door to door people, like the ones who woke me
up this morning to ask if I wanted to learn about their religion. *grumble*
