🚀 go-pugleaf

> Robert Swirsky writes:
> 
> 
> I never could figure out how [Matthew Broderick's character] was able to
> auto-dial every number in an exchange with an acoustic coupled modem.
> My guess is they decided to show an acoustic modem, complete with little
> cups for the receiver, so the movie audience could see that he was connecting
> his computer to the telephone line.


It was fairly common for early modem users to have an output port from the
computer controlling a hangup relay for the phone line.  This can dial a phone
very effectively.  Thus the modem function and the dialling function can be
separated fairly easily.

I don't remember if his phone used DTMF (touch tone) dialling.  That gets a
little more complex with the antique hardware he was shown using.

.../greg

--
"say NO to four-line sigs"     greg...@mindlink.bc.ca