dhork@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Because when the telephone system first was developed, all you had were dial phones, which could only send numbers 1 through 0 (10). So every call needed to be addressible using only numbers.
AT&T came up with the numbering system in the 40s…
TheFogan@programming.dev 2 weeks ago
I mean it’s true, but the same general concept could be said about the internet. Everything runs on IPV4 or IPV6 so they can’t use names. OP’s concept is why isn’t there say, a universal phone book that say if I punched DHORK into my phone, it would go to a server where you are listed on, return your phone number, and then my phone automatically dials you.
To which I suppose the reality is… it wouldn’t really be much of a helper. everyone would have like 3-4 digits in their usernames anyway (because any combination of real first/last names, and english words would be gone in hours of the systems introduction). So your typical registered name would be JohnSmith3821 Which isn’t that much faster to learn, write or dial than a normal 9 digit number.