HALO EPISODE 1

[CaptNoize]

I had Magicjack but when I was talking on it with the computer on, I had all kinds of interference... So much to the point that I dropped it when my subscription ran out. It only worked well sometimes. I just use my flip phone. I bought it for one reason and that's to TALK on...! Ugh..! Stick the texting..!! If you can't call me and TALK to me, I don't want to interact with you. So many scammers text. If I hear your voice, at least I know you are, who you say you are.

[crosscourt]

Magicjack if you have it connected directly to your router/gateway youwont have issues like that. In my case though it ran well on the computer or off the computer. Agree with you about texting, call me direct or dont bother. Once people start texting they dont stop.

[chris]

I don't agree with you about texting. If someone calls me I have to interrupt whatever I'm doing (albeit, not a lot usually) to answer the damn phone. Why does the phone ringing stop all other activity? We're conditioned to it - and the person at the other end panics when the phone isn't answered. Rings again and again. Before mobiles, it was just "Oh, they must be out."
A text lets _me_ get to it whenever I have a break.

[crosscourt]

I dont answer the phone unless its convenient and it also shows me who the missed call was from so I can call them back when I can. Once you start texting with people they feel they can do it anytime they like and incessantly which drives me crazy. It becomes a social habit for most people rather than an alternative to making a call.

[wove]

Nicely put @chris. I do find texting to be much handier than calls. I use KDE Connect on all my devices, so I can largely just ignore the phone and if I choose to respond to a text, I can do so from whatever device I am using. A smart phone is much easier to use for responding to text than my flip phone ever was.

I have also never understood why in general a ringing phone takes priority over anything and everything else that might be going on. If I am having lunch with someone and they answer their phone I make a mental note to never have lunch with them again.

[crosscourt]

Totally agree wove as a ringing phone to me isnt a priority where Im going to stop everything to answer it. Responsible texting isnt the issue, its scammers and people who want to use texts a a social activity and many of us have experienced this modern phenomenon.

[CaptNoize]

CC,
I totally agree with you. If people can't call and talk with me, forget it. I'm old school, so I disagree diametrically with millennials. As far as the ringer goes, that's why there's an off button, or silent mode. Also, that's why there's caller ID. If someone calls who I don't want to talk with, I just let it go to voicemail. If they really piss me off, I just add them to call rejection,and block them.
As far as the Magic Jack issue I had, it was hooked directly to my router. Yet I still had issues with it cutting out, when my tablet or computer was on. After trying to fix it for many months, I just 86'd it, when the subscription ran out. I found that the flip phone I got really holds up well. When idiots tell me " Why don't you get a real phone"..? I tell them, "Why don't you breathe thru your nose, and keep your big mouth shut"..???!

[dai_trying]

I'm quite big into texting rather than calling as I feel I can respond to a text when convenient for me and don't have to either answer the phone when it might be inconvenient to do so , or call someone back when it might be inconvenient for them... But with that said I also understand why people don't like text messages, it is a lot less personal than a phone call.
As for scam calls/messages/emails they can (more often than not) be obviously identified and ignored/blocked/reported, which I do pretty often with the current rise in their activities.

I also hear what @CaptNoize says about others saying what you "should be doing" if they want to text, send it to someone who cares!

[crosscourt]

I dont even use texts with my clients as its far easier to talk to them directly on the phone and far faster to work things out. I do see the value in texts for business use but typically for me that falls to emails that i can access by a variety of means. Most of the time I dont even have the ringer enabled on my phone as I prefer the vibrate feature. Phone calls you get a better feel for the conversation as where many times inadvertent issues have happened with texts because you couldnt get the added help of talking to them personally. Most people use texts as a private talk fest ignoring everyone around them and interrupting at times other things going on. I also still use messaging so you can leave me a voice message on my phone at any time.

[dai_trying]

I turn off voice messages as they are primarily used by scammers (IME) but I have unlimited calls and texts and 20GB Data which is more than adequate for my needs. I find I use texts more mainly due to the lack of time restrictions on reading/replying, although if it is anything time sensitive then a call is more appropriate. I do feel that I do not interrupt people when I text as they can reply whenever they are free as I do not always know their schedule and a call (IMO) would be more intrusive.
Often if I'm going to call someone I send a text first to see if they are free to talk, many people nowadays are busier than in the past as we see couples need to both be working to maintain a reasonable lifestyle and if they have children at least one of them might have to have a second job too.