Facebook did it as well, maybe a couple years after opening up to the non university crowd. Neither FB at the time or G+ years later gave any thought that their no pseudonym policies put someone’s safety at risk.

They were uncommon where I grew up, but older houses still had them and were being slowly phased out as houses in the neighbourhood sold. Ours was one of the last in the area to be removed/replaced, when it rained the lines still crossed with the houses that had the upgrade.

Haha, oh yes! Getting the angry neighbour coming over to yell at us for not hanging up properly. Sometimes it was even on purpose, and not when I was heading out the door. :D

Picking up the phone to make a call, and getting yelled at by the neighbor for not checking for a dialtone before dialling. Alternatively, learning how to screw out the mouth piece (muting the handset) and pick up the receiver without making a noise so I could listen to the neighbour gossip.

Magnavox Odyssey. I grew up playing that beast.