# Help an Old Fart Understand Texting
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 23, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358 "2012-01-23T02:12:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/21 "2012-01-23T03:30:50Z")
> [@WhyNot](#):
>
> Really good point. Sometimes it’s far better to have something in writing. I’ve been known to ask, “Would you text me your address?” even when I am stuck talking to a person on the phone. Saves them from waiting for me to find a piece of paper and a pen that actually writes, and saves me from having to keep track of little pieces of paper.
And it’s better than email if you don’t have access to your account.
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### Author:  [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/22 "2012-01-23T03:48:05Z")
in my case I love when people can txt me as its often difficult for me to have a phone conversation while I am working onsite, where I can easily reply to a few text messages between steps in tasks, waiting for a computer to reboot. When you are charging $70 an hour to do onsite computer work, people occasionaly get downright hostile if they think you are chitchatting with your friends. I have actually had a customer demand i take 30 min off her 2 hour bill because according to her “it would have gone much faster if I had not been on the phone all the time.” 2 phone calls totalling 7 minutes, both of which were other customers, I took down a few quick notes and got off the phone.
Both calls were also recieved while virus scanners were running and it was gonna be 15-20 minutes before I could do anything else.
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### Author:  [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/23 "2012-01-23T03:59:00Z")
If I need to give my mom who is hard of hearing complicated info like an address its a lot easier to text it than scream into the phone repeating the info over and over.
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### Author:  [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/24 "2012-01-23T04:02:01Z")
Texting can be more considerate when people are at work. There’s nothing worse than calling someone’s phone while they’re talking to a client or customer or when their boss is around etc. And voicemail is more of a hassle. You have to call or download the voicemail, listen, then push a button to delete or save or whatever, then return the call.
> [@brocks](#):
>
> Can I make a fortune by inventing a phone that takes the text that was transcribed from speech by the sender, and converts it to voice so the receiver can hear it out loud? So instead of just a phone call, you have an Engrish conversation that sounds like it’s read by Stephen Hawking?
There are already apps for that. I have one reads texts and the sender of emails when I have my headphones in because I listen to podcasts some while at work. If the text is important, I can take the phone out and reply. If it’s someone saying 6pm is fine Friday, I can ignore it. It speaks in a rather lovely British female voice too.
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### Author:  [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/25 "2012-01-23T05:01:00Z")
For instance, I decided to stay home during the snow storm Friday. Rather than call work, transfer to the clinic, talk to whoever answers the phone, sit on hold while they track down my boss who may or may not be in surgery and then I may or may not actually speak with her or may have to relay the information through whoever answered the phone and be put on hold while they relay info, I just texted her: “do you care if I stay home today? Can come in if clinic needs help closing, but late commute will be a huge pain if I can avoid it.” And she texts back: “They’re fine, stay home.”
Plus, meeting up with people, especially taking the CTA, we can relay which bus we’re on, the ETA, or which train car we’re in to meet up on and travel together. To call each other with all of these bits of information would be a huge pain.
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### Author:  [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/26 "2012-01-23T05:26:02Z")
I appreciate all the responses. Sounds like I’m not really missing anything for my particular situation, but I now see how it can be useful for other people.
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### Author:  [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/27 "2012-01-23T06:38:10Z")
I’m another old fart who finds texting useful in certain situations: First, it was a major boon for communicating with my late friend/employee. He was hearing impaired, and relied on lip reading in face-to-face conversion, but I could easily transmit via text instructions, addresses, phone numbers, etc. when he was on the road. Or when my husband is at work, I can send a “call if you’re not busy” text when something’s not urgent. And it’s awesome for lists: if I’m out, I can double-check when I have a senior moment, instead of racking my brain to remember what someone asked me to grab while I’m at the grocery store or whether The Boy asked for cheddar or Jack cheese on his sandwich.
But I do hate texting just for “hey, how are you” conversations. If it’s more than a sentence or two, call or e-mail please.
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### Author:  [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/28 "2012-01-23T07:29:23Z")
I love texting and prefer it over any other method of communication. I ask all my friends and associates to text me on every detail of their personal and professional lives.
Maybe one day, but not soon, I’ll buy a device having the capability of receiving texts. Maybe . . .
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/29 "2012-01-23T14:21:08Z")
Oh, one thing I didn’t think of - my iPhone knows what a phone number is, so if somebody texts me a number (which I have them do all the time - please don’t make me write it down!) I just tap the number in the text and it calls it.
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### Author:  [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/30 "2012-01-23T14:42:29Z")
Not to hijack, but this has brought up one of my greatest pet peeves – people who answer their phones and whisper urgently, “I can’t talk. I’m in a meeting.” Dude. If you can’t talk, don’t answer your phone! That’s what voice mail is for! Your urgent whisper has now made me feel guilty for calling at a bad time (even though I’m not a mind reader) and you’ve just interrupted your meeting you didn’t want to interrupt.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/31 "2012-01-23T14:57:44Z")
Before I had a phone that could text, I was a little dismissive of the idea. Now I love it.
If you’re multitasking, no need to get bogged down in small talk.
If there’s someone, like my pool guy for instance, that I really don’t like talking to (too verbose) I can just text him instructions and it’s done.
If there’s information I need to refer back to later, it’s succinct and readily available later.
If I’m developing a sequence of steps with someone where we independently research and get back with each other, this allows us both to work uninterrupted yet still have access to each other’s contributions as needed.
If my wife or deer lease buddies need me to stop at the store on the way, I don’t have to stop and write down a list.
You can include photos, URLs, etc.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/32 "2012-01-23T14:59:23Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#):
>
> Texts don’t need to be retrieved like an email or voicemail. But unlike a call, they can be responded to when convenient. So, as soon as my husband gets out of a meeting, he immediately sees a message from me and Immediately sees what it is. So, if the message is that I’m stuck in a meeting and he needs to pick up the kids, he sees it right away.
Plus, talking on the phone takes up a certain amount of time, and if what you have to say doesn’t require it, then you’re saving both parties some trouble.
> [@brocks](#):
>
> That all makes perfect sense, but for anyone who knows you well, doesn’t receiving a text from you tell them that you don’t really care for _their_ small talk?
No, because you’re not restricting that person to that one form of communication. All it means is that for this particular bit of information, it’s not worth the bother of calling. And it’s also respecting of that other person’s time too. This is a busy world.
By the way, when you say you’re an old fart, what age are you? I’m in my 40s and I use text messages frequently. The main form of communication that I haven’t yet figured out the value of is Twitter.
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### Author:  [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/33 "2012-01-23T15:03:19Z")
> [@brocks](#):
>
> I appreciate all the responses. Sounds like I’m not really missing anything for my particular situation, but I now see how it can be useful for other people.
I have a slightly different way of thinking about texting: think of it as leaving a note on a post-it… only that the post-it actually finds its way to the recipient, rather than the recipient having to find it.
It isn’t always necessary to speak to your spouse to remind them to buy more milk or change the oil in the car – sometimes it is easier to just leave a note with the same information. Texting pretty much operates on the same social principle. If you leave notes for people, you’ll probably find texting useful. If you don’t leave notes, then texting isn’t anything useful for you.
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### Author:  [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/34 "2012-01-23T15:08:42Z")
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> By the way, when you say you’re an old fart, what age are you? I’m in my 40s and I use text messages frequently. The main form of communication that I haven’t yet figured out the value of is Twitter.
Me too. Let’s see if we can get some ideas[over here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=14696845#post14696845).
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/35 "2012-01-23T15:14:55Z")
With smartphones, the difference between email and a text is almost meaningless. The fact that you don’t have to be logged in for texting makes it even better. Voicemail is the same-- you have to log in to get it. A text is right there at the push of a button. I know people for whom it’s a waste of time to leave a voicemail. They get texts.
I think a lot of young people prefer texting because they can do it while doing other things at the same time. Talking on the phone pretty much takes your full attention.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/36 "2012-01-23T15:19:51Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> I think a lot of young people prefer texting because they can do it while doing other things at the same time. Talking on the phone pretty much takes your full attention.
I agree with the young people.
I get annoyed when people send me urgent E-mail messages. E-mail is not an urgent medium, folks! If you need my attention now, send me a text or a call me.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/37 "2012-01-23T15:20:34Z")
As I understand it, texting is a new form of addiction for which there is no known cure. It causes people to enter a trance-like state wherein they walk or drive without paying attention to what is either around, or in front of, their immediate positions. The incidence of ER visits by people who have run into light posts, parked cars and other people has skyrocketed along with veterinarian visits for trod-upon cats, and police arrests for home invasion for people who have mistakenly entered the wrong domicile while sending their latest monosyllabic masterpiece to their BFFs.
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### Author:  [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/38 "2012-01-23T15:36:20Z")
> [@freckafree](#):
>
> Not to hijack, but this has brought up one of my greatest pet peeves – people who answer their phones and whisper urgently, “I can’t talk. I’m in a meeting.” Dude. If you can’t talk, don’t answer your phone! That’s what voice mail is for! Your urgent whisper has now made me feel guilty for calling at a bad time (even though I’m not a mind reader) and you’ve just interrupted your meeting you didn’t want to interrupt.
This is possibly because the person sees who’s calling, and thinks it might be important enough to pick up even in the meeting. Then when he finds out it’s not really that important, he says he can’t talk. So he had to make the decision to pick up, whisper uncomfortably when he found out he made the wrong decision, and you feel bad for interrupting him.
All of this is neatly avoided with texting.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/39 "2012-01-23T15:38:56Z")
> [@arseNal](#):
>
> This is possibly because the person sees who’s calling, and thinks it might be important enough to pick up even in the meeting
Or it’s his wife. Wives expect you to pick up, even if it’s not a good time.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-an-old-fart-understand-texting/610358/40 "2012-01-23T15:39:30Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> It causes people to enter a trance-like state wherein they walk or drive …
Exactly, but as “old farts” we’re wise beyond our years and have the common sense to avoid these activities while texting. 99% of mine is done from the office desk or my couch.
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