Want to really mess with a younger person's head?

neato John  

Finally something I've got a chance of knowing how to operate.

"A user inputs a number into a rotary dial by placing a finger in the hole of the number they want to dial. They then turn the plastic dial until it reaches the metal clip and let go, allowing it to spin back into place and register the number dialed. They have to do this for every digit of a phone number."

Goodness me. I've read this carefully several times but the principle remains just beyond my grasp (so to speak). Do you have to use the appropriately-numbered finger for each of the nine digits displayed? Presumably you have to start with the little finger of the left hand for "1", then the left ring finger for "2", and so on up to "9"? So the little finger of the right hand would become obsolete and would eventually disappear due to Darwinian natural selection? (If you don't believe in Darwinism you would presumably just have it amputated since it has become a useless impediment.) On the other hand, if you are in the habit of dialling 16-digit international numbers, would you have to seek the assistance of a friend or colleague to help with the last 6 digits once you have used up your own 10? Also, the opposable thumb would appear to be a bit of a functional hindrance here.

I am not a technical expert by any means, but at first glance this seems a pretty impractical idea. "Modern" is not always better. (By the way, I have a "dumb phone" and just use my tongue for dialling. Easy peasy.)

Best solution is no phone at all.

If you can't use the internet and you need to communicate, get in your car and drive over to deliver your message.

Better still, walk.

I laughed out loud when I realized the directions on how to use a rotary dial were actually serious!  This offer is tempting....I wonder if there are any issues with party lines though?

Posted by: @david-green

Best solution is no phone at all.

If you can't use the internet and you need to communicate, get in your car and drive over to deliver your message.

Better still, walk.

Walking....manual dialing?  Sounds unnecessarily taxing and isn't driving kind of carbon footprintish......?

@graeme-ogg You raise many good points in your narrative Graeme......big picture thinking.  Thank you.