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Author Topic: When you knock at my door...  (Read 6201 times)

CodeTRUCKER

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When you knock at my door...
« on: September 25, 2010, 03:35 PM »
... I am going to sing a poor quality excerpt from music that is my taste, not yours while you wait for the door to be answered.

Does that sound a little odd to you?  Maybe even rude?

Yo Folks,

<rant> In the words of Popeye, "That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more!"  Actually, I'm not ready to blow my stack, but I am annoyed.  ;)

Does anyone have an idea of what I am leading to?  In my own circle of people I have dropped very subtle hints for quite awhile (I'm not completely void of tact), but they have not been recognized.  For those of you that are not in my "circle," can you guess what I am talking about?

If you said "ring-back tones*" for mobile phones, you would be right.  

Why am I so adamantly against them?  For starters, if you are one that uses ring back tones, may I suggest you temporarily use someone else's phone and call you own number.  This will allow you to experience what you are foisting on those that call you.  Most enlightening.

Next, let's examine *what* they are good and are not good for...
  • Avoiding dialing the wrong number.  To me this could be the only benefit, but how often do you dial wrong numbers, especially with speed-dial?
  • Enjoyment?  Not for the caller because the sound quality is so poor it is unpleasant and sheer torture for any kind of an audiophile.
  • Forces people to listen to music of your taste, without any consideration to the caller's.
  • Unprofessional.  In any kind of a business context (except selling ring-back tones) they are inappropriate.  Think about the secretary at West Family Dental must think when calling to confirm an appointment.
  • Additional unnecessary and constant expense.
  • Carries a "Hey, look at me this is what I like!" connotation.
  • The owners of the ring-back tones, never get to enjoy(?) their own investments.
  • Callers may not call as often so they don't have to endure "Listen[ing] to the music while your party is reached."
  • [Fill-in-the-blank]
.
In short, ring-back tones are not worth the price of admission, in my book.  I find them as annoying when I call as you would probably find my singing while you wait at the door for me to answer it.  I can not control what anyone does, but I can offer a viewpoint...  I don't like them.

If anyone has a rebuttal, I would really like to hear it.  Maybe I'm missing something, but given I have quietly considered this subject for over a year, I couldn't have missed much.

</rant>

Thanks for your time.

*  A "ring-back tone" (ala Verizon Wireless, et.al.) is the audio a "caller" hears instead of the usual "ringback tone" that one hears while waiting for the "callee" (is that a word?) to answer the call.  They are similar to "ring tones."  

<edits for explanation>
« Last Edit: September 25, 2010, 08:53 PM by CodeTRUCKER »

Eóin

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Re: When you knock at my door...
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2010, 03:43 PM »
I've never had experience of ring-back tones, in fact I never knew such a thing existsed before now. But your little rant has completely convinced me that they are pure evil :D

Long may their absence from my life continue ;)

Darwin

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Re: When you knock at my door...
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2010, 06:47 PM »
Er... what's a ring-back tone? OK, Codetrucker did a good job of describing/explaining them, but I've never encountered them in the wild, myself. Sound annoying, though...

My pet peeve are car stereos. I really don't want to hear the "whoomph" of your sub-woofer when you drive by my house at 2 am... (or at any other time, for that mater! Further, I cannot imagine that it's safe to drive around like that  >:(

cmpm

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Re: When you knock at my door...
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2010, 08:31 PM »
Wow!

http://www.google.co...;fp=4e781b66e30e329a

I didn't know about them either, but I might use them for certain callers!
lol....lol....and say I don't know how that happened, must be the phone company hahaha...

CodeTRUCKER

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Re: When you knock at my door...
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2010, 08:51 PM »
Er... what's a ring-back tone?
...
Sorry, Darwin.  I've rectified this oversight.

app103

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Re: When you knock at my door...
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2010, 12:06 AM »
I have not experienced these, myself, but I asked my daughter if she has and she said has a few friends with them.

And she says, more than anything else, they are confusing to the caller, who is expecting to hear the normal "phone is ringing" sound and instead is hit with this music. It makes one wonder if something is wrong. Why isn't it ringing like it is supposed to do?  :huh:

CodeTRUCKER

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Re: When you knock at my door...
« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2010, 12:15 AM »
I have not experienced these, myself, but I asked my daughter if she has and she said has a few friends with them.

And she says, more than anything else, they are confusing to the caller, who is expecting to hear the normal "phone is ringing" sound and instead is hit with this music. It makes one wonder if something is wrong. Why isn't it ringing like it is supposed to do?  :huh:

Tell her it's just another "cool" fad the companies use to make the bill higher each month. 

app103

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Re: When you knock at my door...
« Reply #7 on: September 26, 2010, 02:08 AM »
Tell her it's just another "cool" fad the companies use to make the bill higher each month.

Oh, I don't have to tell her that. She's a smart girl, and frugal like her mom. I raised her well.  ;)

nudone

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Re: When you knock at my door...
« Reply #8 on: September 26, 2010, 02:55 AM »
cool, where can i get one? they sound great.

seriously, they sound awful - but perfect for the mobile hip 'n' happenin people. it still amazes me that ringtone companies can charge £5 for a ringtone. but the owners of such companies are all millionaires. so, i'm obviously the complete idiot. no doubt the inventor of the ringback-tone is similarly wealthy.

CodeTRUCKER

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Re: When you knock at my door...
« Reply #9 on: September 26, 2010, 03:33 AM »
Tell her it's just another "cool" fad the companies use to make the bill higher each month.

Oh, I don't have to tell her that. She's a smart girl, and frugal like her mom. I raised her well.  ;)
I actually was going to comment on your daughter's business I.Q., but did not want to embarrass her or you, but since you brought it up...

I think your daughter's recognition of this snake oil is very astute!

Renegade

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Re: When you knock at my door...
« Reply #10 on: September 26, 2010, 10:31 AM »
Amen! I hate ring-backs.


  • Enjoyment?  Not for the caller because the sound quality is so poor it is unpleasant and sheer torture for any kind of an audiophile.


THAT is a major pet peeve of mine.

Telephone audio has not improved in 100 years.

What retard thought that MUSIC over crappy voice quality bandwidth was a good idea? I hope he/she doesn't pollute the gene pool with children.

Torture? HA! You understate the case in the most obscene manner possible!

Sigh...

I really hope that at some point the quality of telephony improves. Right now the best thing is Skype.
Slow Down Music - Where I commit thought crimes...

Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong. - John Diefenbaker

Eóin

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Re: When you knock at my door...
« Reply #11 on: September 26, 2010, 10:38 AM »
Thankfully I pretty much only text people, so when this fade make it over here it shouldn't really affect me :P