Should we get rid of phone books?

lazygal

Like the old white pages and golden pages? Do people still use them? They seem a terrible waste of paper to me.

Anyone

Into the Green Bin they go

lkionm

But they are great for putting cups on and holding things down

KeithM89

What else am i going to put in the drawer in the hallway??

sbsquarepants

Haven't used one in years, either google or 11850.
Into room 101 i say, good call.

hardCopy

Let people order them if they want them. Eircom should be charged with littering for every unsolicited phonebook they send out.

Birneybau

Heard somebody say that they put them in their bags while heading over to New York for shopping, discard them once there.

The rationale is that, the bag is heavier on the way over so they are less likely to be charged for overweight bags on the way back, also less likely to be stopped by customs.

Dunno if it works...

Flibbles

Birneybau wrote: »

Heard somebody say that they put them in their bags while heading over to New York for shopping, discard them once there.

The rationale is that, the bag is heavier on the way over so they are less likely to be charged for overweight bags on the way back, also less likely to be stopped by customs.

Dunno if it works...

Surely they could just not bring so much stuff in the first place? People are weird.

Gummy Panda

what else would a manlet use to kiss a girl of decent height?

krudler

Yes, waste of paper and time, its 2013 ffs use the internet or directory enquires

stoneill

It's an instant address book - just run a black marker over the people you don't know!

sbsquarepants

Birneybau wrote: »

Heard somebody say that they put them in their bags while heading over to New York for shopping, discard them once there.

The rationale is that, the bag is heavier on the way over so they are less likely to be charged for overweight bags on the way back, also less likely to be stopped by customs.

Dunno if it works...

WTF kind of logic is that? Surely you'd just be more likely to be charged twice?

kerry4sam

lazygal wrote: »

Like the old white pages and golden pages? Do people still use them? They seem a terrible waste of paper to me.

I know several people who still prefer to use the good auld fashioned phone-books.

Working in hospitality moreso as tourists want to look up other people in the area with same surname; some ask to photocopy pages of the phone-book to assist them with tracing their ancestry by contacting those people then with they get more time on returning home (hence the photocopy).

Yes, people still use phone-books

Wacker The Attacker

I like to use them during sex.

When you are banging a chick who is sitting on the kitchen table it can be handy to stick a yellow pages under her to make sure shes in a comfortable position.

o1s1n

Birneybau wrote: »

Heard somebody say that they put them in their bags while heading over to New York for shopping, discard them once there.

The rationale is that, the bag is heavier on the way over so they are less likely to be charged for overweight bags on the way back, also less likely to be stopped by customs.

Dunno if it works...

The rationale is that...there is no rationale for that. That can't be true :pac:

OldNotWIse

What will I line my cat's litter tray with then?

Aglomerado

Older civil servant types who don't get technology like them, they absorb tea cup stains very well and have that reassuring inky smell that reminds them of the days before Croke Park... :pac:

Also what would strong men tear in half?

MonaPizza

lazygal wrote: »

Like the old white pages and golden pages? Do people still use them? They seem a terrible waste of paper to me.

Well, the NSA can't gather information on what numbers you've been looking up in the White/Yellow pages so they won't be able to build a profile on what kind of takeaways you like (until you call The Tandoori Palace or the Szechuan Garden, that is.)

dd972

First they came for the phone books, I did nothing, then they came for the Argos catalogues, I did nothing,.......

Fizzlesque

lazygal wrote: »

Like the old white pages and golden pages? Do people still use them? They seem a terrible waste of paper to me.

I was thinking the very same thing the other day when I saw three big books (two phone and an Ikea brochure) on my doorstep and realised I'm going to have to cycle to the recycling centre on Saturday to dispose of them. Waste of their resources and my time.

Eoin

hardCopy wrote: »

Let people order them if they want them. Eircom should be charged with littering for every unsolicited phonebook they send out.

eircom are obliged to distribute them; I'm sure they'd love to stop.

Birneybau

Flibbles wrote: »

Surely they could just not bring so much stuff in the first place? People are weird.

sbsquarepants wrote: »

WTF kind of logic is that? Surely you'd just be more likely to be charged twice?

o1s1n wrote: »

The rationale is that...there is no rationale for that. That can't be true :pac:

Basically filling a bag with bare essentials and telephone books so there appears to be a bit of weight in it. So, get to NY, throw out phone books and fill bags with stuff bought there. Be a bit sketchy bringing an empty bag over with them and a full one back.

I heard it from an idiot, ok???

Lando Griffin

I have no idea what it costs to print and distribute all these phone books, printed probably in Ireland where a saving could be had by getting it printed in India or China because since its not their money its probably given to the same company that printed it always.
It seems amazing that some companies can charge you to look up a number by ringing them and extra to connect you, but it costs the main provider money to publish this information.
All in favor for the yellow pages, I do use it now and again but if there is something I need I usually look it up on line and can Navigate from my phone, but for old people that's not an option.

Flibbles

Birneybau wrote: »

Basically filling a bag with bare essentials and telephone books so there appears to be a bit of weight in it. So, get to NY, throw out phone books and fill bags with stuff bought there. Be a bit sketchy bringing an empty bag over with them and a full one back.

I heard it from an idiot, ok???

An idiot with a massive ego apparently, if he thinks the people are going to remember "hey, you were here a few days ago with an empty bag!"

biko

They should make it "opt in".

SEPT 23 1989

Geoff Capes will have nothing to rip up

dublinman1990

It seems to me when I look up people who are homeowners in the Eircom residential listings I have known for a long time, some passed away a long time ago & their name is still listed in the phonebook long after they are gone.

That to me is very strange because other people may get the same feeling. I still seeing my late granny's phone number when my home phone stopped working in the early noughties in the latest phonebook.

Phonebooks are truly a waste of time, money & resources in the 21st Century.

o1s1n

Flibbles wrote: »

An idiot with a massive ego apparently, if he thinks the people are going to remember "hey, you were here a few days ago with an empty bag!"

Indeed, talk about paranoia!

I'd have to question the sanity of anyone who does that.

Fizzlesque

Fizzlesque wrote: »

I was thinking the very same thing the other day when I saw three big books (two phone and an Ikea brochure) on my doorstep and realised I'm going to have to cycle to the recycling centre on Saturday to dispose of them. Waste of their resources and my time.

Pity we couldnt just put return to sender on them and sends them back

lau1247

Birneybau wrote: »

Basically filling a bag with bare essentials and telephone books so there appears to be a bit of weight in it. So, get to NY, throw out phone books and fill bags with stuff bought there. Be a bit sketchy bringing an empty bag over with them and a full one back.

It seems to be more sketchy to bring over phone book only to dump them.

If there is nothing illegal to hide, an empty bag is just as acceptable.

lau1247

lazygal wrote: »

Like the old white pages and golden pages? Do people still use them? They seem a terrible waste of paper to me.

haven't have one for a very very long time.

Yeah at this stage they should get rid of it and make a digital version. It can be maintain more up to date also if any record changes in the mean time, people will get the latest number. There will be less wasted paper, people don't need to dump them which logically make sense.

Annasopra

The last time I used one was as a paint brush for a piece of art

I suppose a lot of elderly people wouldn't be online and rely on the physical book. Should be very easy to opt in rather than impossible to opt out.

Eogclouder

They should go digital with it, just a giant directory that's online, easy to make IOS and Android apps too.

In the help section of said directory, you should be able to order a physical copy, which you'd have to pay the printing/delivery costs of.

Dravokivich

hardCopy wrote: »

Let people order them if they want them. Eircom should be charged with littering for every unsolicited phonebook they send out.

They are only meant to send them to Eircom customers. Are you not getting mixed up with Directory Enquiries?

hardCopy

Dravokivich wrote: »

They are only meant to send them to Eircom customers. Are you not getting mixed up with Directory Enquiries?

I just remember seeing a massive pile of them in the lobby of an apartment block last year. Most of the apartments in the block would have been Eircom broadband customers (judging by wifi names). Nobody ever collected them and they were left there for weeks until someone eventually dumped them.

SpaceTime

They still have phonebooks?!!?

To be fair, Argos catalogues are probably a worse waste of paper. I never understand why they don't just get a better website!

SpaceTime

Eogclouder wrote: »

They should go digital with it, just a giant directory that's online, easy to make IOS and Android apps too.

In the help section of said directory, you should be able to order a physical copy, which you'd have to pay the printing/delivery costs of.

It is online : http://www.eircomphonebook.ie/

But, yeah it should have a set of APIs.

Seems like almost everyone's ex-directory now anyway though.

Mike 1972

My grandmother used to have a collection of phone books spanning about 25 years in her bathroon cupboard. Seemingly lots of old people do this.

The information section in front of the phonebook can be a goldmine of geeky trivia. For instance there was a time when one needed permission in writing from the minister for posts and telegraphs to install an answering machine.

MadsL

mango salsa wrote: »

The last time I used one was as a paint brush for a piece of art

Doing it wrong...try carving faces in them

http://www.lostateminor.com/2010/12/01/alex-querals-carved-out-phone-book-faces/

armchaircoach

Phonebooks are great. Have a party, get everyone to bring a few phonebooks (they're lying around everywhere) then rip all the pages up into strips and fill the house up to waist height like a hamster cage.

padd b1975

It's very expensive to place an add in the Golden Pages, I doubt if companies would bother if it was not worth doing.

People still use it a lot, not too sure about the residential book though.

Mr. G

Keith wrote: »

What else am i going to put in the drawer in the hallway??

A bible

padd b1975

SpaceTime wrote: »

They still have phonebooks?!!?

To be fair, Argos catalogues are probably a worse waste of paper. I never understand why they don't just get a better website!

Nothing beats the pleasure of plonking oneself on the toilet with the latest Argos catalogue.

Mr. G

I think you should have to opt in to them. Its a waste.

But if line rental wouldn't go down I don't see why bothering to get them as an opt-in to be honest

I haven't used a phone book in years, I just go online as its much quicker. You can tweet 11890 (that's kinda cool actually!) or if its a business just google it.

smellmepower

We got one in the door the other day,white Eircom one in cellophane with loads of leaflets for Sky phone and broadband inside.Someone in Eircom's marketing department didn't think that one through.

We have UPC for phone and BB so musn't be just for Eircom customers.

Nemeses

What's a phone book? The app on your mobile phone is it?

Toto Wolfcastle

Got our phone book today. It's in the recycling now but there was a leaflet saying that you can opt out by going to www.phonebookoptout.ie

thisisadamh

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

Got our phone book today. It's in the recycling now but there was a leaflet saying that you can opt out by going to www.phonebookoptout.ie

Why must I create an account to opt out!