Auto Redial in "Dial a Contact" feature

[MS]

I discovered one can use Outlook 2003 to dial a phone number. (Contacts
applet, Actions menu, Call Contact).

However, I do not see a setting for auto redial. For instance, one is trying
to reach a tech support dept., and always getting a busy signal. This would
be a good scenario for having a computer dial the number, to keep dialing
until there is a connection. (One should hear the ringing and busy signal
sounds through the computer speakers, so that if one goes away from the
computer, one can hear when there is finally a ring, in order to pick up the
phone.)

But I don't see a setting for auto redial for this "Call Contact" feature.
Does it automatically do this? How many redials? Is there a way to set it
somehow.

I am surprised that the "Phone Dialer" app that comes with Win XP also has
no auto redial feature.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP Outlook]]

You just answered your own question. Outlook has nothing to do with
this. Everything is handled by the Windows Phone dialer, a very simple
program that can do nothing but dial a number. Once.

 

[MS]

Well, Outlook has its own interface for dialing a phone number. Are you
saying that it actually works through the phone dialer app?

No way to get either Outlook or the Phone Dialer app to do auto-redial?
There should be. To me the scenario I described is the only use I'd have for
dialing a voice call with the computer, rather than with the telephone.
(Perhaps some phones have auto redial. Mine doesn't. If I have to keep
redialing a number that's busy, I have to press the off button (cordless
phone), wait a few seconds, press the on button, then press the redial
button. If it's busy for a while, and I have to keep repeating this, it's
tiresome and time-consuming. Would be nice if the computer could keep
dialing the number until it gets through.)

There are a couple Windows XP apps that do automatic redials if busy,
although neither is meant for voice calls. One is the DUN app (don't know if
it's still called that) for dial-up Internet connections. You can set that
to redial automatically if busy. Same thing with Hyperterminal. I'm really
surprised that the same cannot be done for voice calls.

Anyone from Microsoft listening?

Anyone know of a 3rd party freeware app that can do this?

You just answered your own question. Outlook has nothing to do with
this. Everything is handled by the Windows Phone dialer, a very simple
program that can do nothing but dial a number. Once.
------
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I discovered one can use Outlook 2003 to dial a phone number. (Contacts
applet, Actions menu, Call Contact).

However, I do not see a setting for auto redial. For instance, one is trying
to reach a tech support dept., and always getting a busy signal. This would
be a good scenario for having a computer dial the number, to keep dialing
until there is a connection. (One should hear the ringing and busy signal
sounds through the computer speakers, so that if one goes away from the
computer, one can hear when there is finally a ring, in order to pick up the
phone.)

But I don't see a setting for auto redial for this "Call Contact" feature.
Does it automatically do this? How many redials? Is there a way to set it
somehow.

I am surprised that the "Phone Dialer" app that comes with Win XP also has
no auto redial feature.

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

halfway convinced, after reading this post, that computers will make sagging
lumps of lard of all of those who cannot envision actually having to perform
an action, even a repetitive action, without the use of technology. No need
for terrorism to bring down the US, it is already on its own road.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. Due to
the (insert latest virus name here) virus, all mail sent to my personal
account will be deleted without reading.

After furious head scratching, MS asked:

| Well, Outlook has its own interface for dialing a phone number. Are
| you saying that it actually works through the phone dialer app?
|
| No way to get either Outlook or the Phone Dialer app to do
| auto-redial? There should be. To me the scenario I described is the
| only use I'd have for dialing a voice call with the computer, rather
| than with the telephone. (Perhaps some phones have auto redial. Mine
| doesn't. If I have to keep redialing a number that's busy, I have to
| press the off button (cordless phone), wait a few seconds, press the
| on button, then press the redial button. If it's busy for a while,
| and I have to keep repeating this, it's tiresome and time-consuming.
| Would be nice if the computer could keep dialing the number until it
| gets through.)
|
| There are a couple Windows XP apps that do automatic redials if busy,
| although neither is meant for voice calls. One is the DUN app (don't
| know if it's still called that) for dial-up Internet connections. You
| can set that to redial automatically if busy. Same thing with
| Hyperterminal. I'm really surprised that the same cannot be done for
| voice calls.
|
| Anyone from Microsoft listening?
|
| Anyone know of a 3rd party freeware app that can do this?
|
|
|
| || You just answered your own question. Outlook has nothing to do with
|| this. Everything is handled by the Windows Phone dialer, a very
|| simple program that can do nothing but dial a number. Once.
|| ------
|| Russ Valentine
|| [MVP-Outlook]
||
|| MS wrote:
||| I discovered one can use Outlook 2003 to dial a phone number.
||| (Contacts applet, Actions menu, Call Contact).
|||
||| However, I do not see a setting for auto redial. For instance, one
||| is trying to reach a tech support dept., and always getting a busy
||| signal. This would be a good scenario for having a computer dial
||| the number, to keep dialing until there is a connection. (One
||| should hear the ringing and busy signal sounds through the computer
||| speakers, so that if one goes away from the computer, one can hear
||| when there is finally a ring, in order to pick up the phone.)
|||
||| But I don't see a setting for auto redial for this "Call Contact"
||| feature. Does it automatically do this? How many redials? Is there
||| a way to set it somehow.
|||
||| I am surprised that the "Phone Dialer" app that comes with Win XP
||| also has no auto redial feature.I m

 

[MS]

That is a pretty silly response from an MVP.

You are implying that I'm lazy for trying to find a way to auto-redial a
phone number? Not at all. (Even implying that my asking about auto-redial
symbolizes the "downfall" of the USA! How silly! (LOL))

Have you ever tried repeatedly to dial a number that was always busy, such
as a tech support line? It certainly would be convenient to be able to use
auto-redial in such a situation.

I did not mean that it is too much physical exertion to push the buttons on
the phone repeatedly, to manually redial over and over. It would, however,
free up my time to get other work done, while the computer is doing the
auto-redialing, and I would pick up the phone when connected. A perfectly
rational use of technology. I am very surprised that an app called "Phone
Dialer" is included with Windows, and that although the dial-up-networking
program and the terminal program that comes with Windows do auto-redial, the
voice dialer does not.

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"

halfway convinced, after reading this post, that computers will make sagging
lumps of lard of all of those who cannot envision actually having to perform
an action, even a repetitive action, without the use of technology. No need
for terrorism to bring down the US, it is already on its own road.

MS asked:

| Well, Outlook has its own interface for dialing a phone number. Are
| you saying that it actually works through the phone dialer app?
|
| No way to get either Outlook or the Phone Dialer app to do
| auto-redial? There should be. To me the scenario I described is the
| only use I'd have for dialing a voice call with the computer, rather
| than with the telephone. (Perhaps some phones have auto redial. Mine
| doesn't. If I have to keep redialing a number that's busy, I have to
| press the off button (cordless phone), wait a few seconds, press the
| on button, then press the redial button. If it's busy for a while,
| and I have to keep repeating this, it's tiresome and time-consuming.
| Would be nice if the computer could keep dialing the number until it
| gets through.)
|
| There are a couple Windows XP apps that do automatic redials if busy,
| although neither is meant for voice calls. One is the DUN app (don't
| know if it's still called that) for dial-up Internet connections. You
| can set that to redial automatically if busy. Same thing with
| Hyperterminal. I'm really surprised that the same cannot be done for
| voice calls.
|
| Anyone from Microsoft listening?
|
| Anyone know of a 3rd party freeware app that can do this?
|
|
|
| || You just answered your own question. Outlook has nothing to do with
|| this. Everything is handled by the Windows Phone dialer, a very
|| simple program that can do nothing but dial a number. Once.
|| ------
|| Russ Valentine
|| [MVP-Outlook]
||

|| MS wrote:
||| I discovered one can use Outlook 2003 to dial a phone number.
||| (Contacts applet, Actions menu, Call Contact).
|||
||| However, I do not see a setting for auto redial. For instance, one
||| is trying to reach a tech support dept., and always getting a busy
||| signal. This would be a good scenario for having a computer dial
||| the number, to keep dialing until there is a connection. (One
||| should hear the ringing and busy signal sounds through the computer
||| speakers, so that if one goes away from the computer, one can hear
||| when there is finally a ring, in order to pick up the phone.)
|||
||| But I don't see a setting for auto redial for this "Call Contact"
||| feature. Does it automatically do this? How many redials? Is there
||| a way to set it somehow.
|||
||| I am surprised that the "Phone Dialer" app that comes with Win XP
||| also has no auto redial feature.I m

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP Outlook]]

Perhaps the better approach for you would be to decide what you want
your software to do for you then research your purchases more carefully.
Wouldn't that be better than finding out after you make your purchase
that the program doesn't do what you think it should?

I am sure there are all kinds of telephony applications out there that
can provide any kind of dialing and voice support you want. But I would
not expect my operating system to do that. I haven't run into many
people who do. (I don't expect my operating system to provide fax
capability either, and indeed it does not--even though it pretends to).

I am sure there are all kinds of CRM software out there too that will do
what you want. Outlook is not a CRM program. We really aren't the ones
to research that kind of information for you.

------
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

That is a pretty silly response from an MVP.

You are implying that I'm lazy for trying to find a way to auto-redial a
phone number? Not at all. (Even implying that my asking about auto-redial
symbolizes the "downfall" of the USA! How silly! (LOL))

Have you ever tried repeatedly to dial a number that was always busy, such
as a tech support line? It certainly would be convenient to be able to use
auto-redial in such a situation.

I did not mean that it is too much physical exertion to push the buttons on
the phone repeatedly, to manually redial over and over. It would, however,
free up my time to get other work done, while the computer is doing the
auto-redialing, and I would pick up the phone when connected. A perfectly
rational use of technology. I am very surprised that an app called "Phone
Dialer" is included with Windows, and that although the dial-up-networking
program and the terminal program that comes with Windows do auto-redial, the
voice dialer does not.

halfway convinced, after reading this post, that computers will make
sagging

lumps of lard of all of those who cannot envision actually having to
perform

an action, even a repetitive action, without the use of technology. No
need

for terrorism to bring down the US, it is already on its own road.

MS asked:

| Well, Outlook has its own interface for dialing a phone number. Are
| you saying that it actually works through the phone dialer app?
|
| No way to get either Outlook or the Phone Dialer app to do
| auto-redial? There should be. To me the scenario I described is the
| only use I'd have for dialing a voice call with the computer, rather
| than with the telephone. (Perhaps some phones have auto redial. Mine
| doesn't. If I have to keep redialing a number that's busy, I have to
| press the off button (cordless phone), wait a few seconds, press the
| on button, then press the redial button. If it's busy for a while,
| and I have to keep repeating this, it's tiresome and time-consuming.
| Would be nice if the computer could keep dialing the number until it
| gets through.)
|
| There are a couple Windows XP apps that do automatic redials if busy,
| although neither is meant for voice calls. One is the DUN app (don't
| know if it's still called that) for dial-up Internet connections. You
| can set that to redial automatically if busy. Same thing with
| Hyperterminal. I'm really surprised that the same cannot be done for
| voice calls.
|
| Anyone from Microsoft listening?
|
| Anyone know of a 3rd party freeware app that can do this?
|
|
|
| || You just answered your own question. Outlook has nothing to do with
|| this. Everything is handled by the Windows Phone dialer, a very
|| simple program that can do nothing but dial a number. Once.
|| ------
|| Russ Valentine
|| [MVP-Outlook]
||


|| MS wrote:
||| I discovered one can use Outlook 2003 to dial a phone number.
||| (Contacts applet, Actions menu, Call Contact).
|||
||| However, I do not see a setting for auto redial. For instance, one
||| is trying to reach a tech support dept., and always getting a busy
||| signal. This would be a good scenario for having a computer dial
||| the number, to keep dialing until there is a connection. (One
||| should hear the ringing and busy signal sounds through the computer
||| speakers, so that if one goes away from the computer, one can hear
||| when there is finally a ring, in order to pick up the phone.)
|||
||| But I don't see a setting for auto redial for this "Call Contact"
||| feature. Does it automatically do this? How many redials? Is there
||| a way to set it somehow.
|||
||| I am surprised that the "Phone Dialer" app that comes with Win XP
||| also has no auto redial feature.I m

 

[MS]

Quite surprising, two Outlook MVPs so far, whose attitude is to criticize a
user asking for advice, rather than help him or her. Is there a place to
report to Microsoft on the helpfulness of MVPs?

Sorry, but I didn't "research" Windows. My computer came with it. If I was
choosing between OSs to buy, whether a phone dialer applet had auto redial
would certainly not be a major factor in deciding which OS to buy. I did
purchase Office 2003, but again, no--I did not research auto redial.

Windows does provide fax capability. It works fine for me to send faxes, I
don't know why it doesn't work for you.

And, as mentioned, Windows XP does come with a phone dialer app to dial
voice calls, which can be done from Outlook as well. Since other telephony
apps in the OS, such as the dial-up-networking, and the hyperterminal
applet, have auto redial, it would make sense for the phone dialer applet to
have that as well.

Are you suggesting that one should not make suggestions to improve a
software product, since one "should have done the research first, and not
bought the product if it doesn't suit every need 100%"? (In that case, one
wouldn't end up buying any software.)

I'm surprised to have received two silly responses from Outlook MVPs. I hope
someone can help with this problem, rather than attacking the questioner.

Perhaps the better approach for you would be to decide what you want
your software to do for you then research your purchases more carefully.
Wouldn't that be better than finding out after you make your purchase
that the program doesn't do what you think it should?

I am sure there are all kinds of telephony applications out there that
can provide any kind of dialing and voice support you want. But I would
not expect my operating system to do that. I haven't run into many
people who do. (I don't expect my operating system to provide fax
capability either, and indeed it does not--even though it pretends to).

I am sure there are all kinds of CRM software out there too that will do
what you want. Outlook is not a CRM program. We really aren't the ones
to research that kind of information for you.

------
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

That is a pretty silly response from an MVP.

You are implying that I'm lazy for trying to find a way to auto-redial a
phone number? Not at all. (Even implying that my asking about auto-redial
symbolizes the "downfall" of the USA! How silly! (LOL))

Have you ever tried repeatedly to dial a number that was always busy, such
as a tech support line? It certainly would be convenient to be able to use
auto-redial in such a situation.

I did not mean that it is too much physical exertion to push the buttons on
the phone repeatedly, to manually redial over and over. It would, however,
free up my time to get other work done, while the computer is doing the
auto-redialing, and I would pick up the phone when connected. A perfectly
rational use of technology. I am very surprised that an app called "Phone
Dialer" is included with Windows, and that although the dial-up-networking
program and the terminal program that comes with Windows do auto-redial, the
voice dialer does not.

halfway convinced, after reading this post, that computers will make
sagging

lumps of lard of all of those who cannot envision actually having to
perform

an action, even a repetitive action, without the use of technology. No
need

for terrorism to bring down the US, it is already on its own road.

MS asked:

| Well, Outlook has its own interface for dialing a phone number. Are
| you saying that it actually works through the phone dialer app?
|
| No way to get either Outlook or the Phone Dialer app to do
| auto-redial? There should be. To me the scenario I described is the
| only use I'd have for dialing a voice call with the computer, rather
| than with the telephone. (Perhaps some phones have auto redial. Mine
| doesn't. If I have to keep redialing a number that's busy, I have to
| press the off button (cordless phone), wait a few seconds, press the
| on button, then press the redial button. If it's busy for a while,
| and I have to keep repeating this, it's tiresome and time-consuming.
| Would be nice if the computer could keep dialing the number until it
| gets through.)
|
| There are a couple Windows XP apps that do automatic redials if busy,
| although neither is meant for voice calls. One is the DUN app (don't
| know if it's still called that) for dial-up Internet connections. You
| can set that to redial automatically if busy. Same thing with
| Hyperterminal. I'm really surprised that the same cannot be done for
| voice calls.
|
| Anyone from Microsoft listening?
|
| Anyone know of a 3rd party freeware app that can do this?
|
|
|
| || You just answered your own question. Outlook has nothing to do with
|| this. Everything is handled by the Windows Phone dialer, a very
|| simple program that can do nothing but dial a number. Once.
|| ------
|| Russ Valentine
|| [MVP-Outlook]
||


|| MS wrote:
||| I discovered one can use Outlook 2003 to dial a phone number.
||| (Contacts applet, Actions menu, Call Contact).
|||
||| However, I do not see a setting for auto redial. For instance, one
||| is trying to reach a tech support dept., and always getting a busy
||| signal. This would be a good scenario for having a computer dial
||| the number, to keep dialing until there is a connection. (One
||| should hear the ringing and busy signal sounds through the computer
||| speakers, so that if one goes away from the computer, one can hear
||| when there is finally a ring, in order to pick up the phone.)
|||
||| But I don't see a setting for auto redial for this "Call Contact"
||| feature. Does it automatically do this? How many redials? Is there
||| a way to set it somehow.
|||
||| I am surprised that the "Phone Dialer" app that comes with Win XP
||| also has no auto redial feature.I m

 

[MS]

By the way, Milly, why did you type the message below on a computer rather
than a manual typewriter.

Is it that you are becoming a "sagging lump of lard", because you "cannot
envision actually having to perform an action without the use of
technology"? When is the last time you used that manual typewriter? Lazy
fingers???


"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"

 

[MS]

But I would

not expect my operating system to do that. I haven't run into many
people who do. (I don't expect my operating system to provide fax
capability either, and indeed it does not--even though it pretends to).

Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Why do you expect your operating system to provide a newsgroup reader then,
and an Internet Browser? I guess those features are there, whether one
"expects" them or not. Does that mean that one has no right to complain when
there are problems with those programs, that one cannot make suggestions for
improvement, because one "should not expect an operating system to do that"?

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Because my manual (electric) typewriter does not have a CRT for me to read
the collective wisdom imparted in Usenet by clever users who apparently
don't know how to use http://www.google.com to find a solution to their
problem, rather than personally attacking the MVPs who attempt to answer
questions.

BTW, where in my post did I single anyone out?? Didn't think so.


--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. Due to
the (insert latest virus name here) virus, all mail sent to my personal
account will be deleted without reading.

After furious head scratching, MS asked:

| By the way, Milly, why did you type the message below on a computer
| rather than a manual typewriter.
|
| Is it that you are becoming a "sagging lump of lard", because you
| "cannot envision actually having to perform an action without the use
| of technology"? When is the last time you used that manual
| typewriter? Lazy fingers???
|
|
| "Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"
| || halfway convinced, after reading this post, that computers will make
|| sagging lumps of lard of all of those who cannot envision actually
|| having to perform an action, even a repetitive action, without the
|| use of technology. No need for terrorism to bring down the US, it
|| is already on its own road.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Multiple crossposts trimmed.
My goodness. If you felt "attacked" by my post then I apologize. I was
simply suggesting that you know what you are getting before you purchase a
product rather than attacking the developers only after you discover that
the product doesn't do what you thought it should. Outlook's features are
not a secret. You can send Outlook feature requests to
http://register.microsoft.com/mswish/suggestion.asp

As for the fax issues, you clearly do not know to whom you are replying
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Quite surprising, two Outlook MVPs so far, whose attitude is to criticize
a
user asking for advice, rather than help him or her. Is there a place to
report to Microsoft on the helpfulness of MVPs?

Sorry, but I didn't "research" Windows. My computer came with it. If I was
choosing between OSs to buy, whether a phone dialer applet had auto redial
would certainly not be a major factor in deciding which OS to buy. I did
purchase Office 2003, but again, no--I did not research auto redial.

Windows does provide fax capability. It works fine for me to send faxes, I
don't know why it doesn't work for you.

And, as mentioned, Windows XP does come with a phone dialer app to dial
voice calls, which can be done from Outlook as well. Since other telephony
apps in the OS, such as the dial-up-networking, and the hyperterminal
applet, have auto redial, it would make sense for the phone dialer applet
to
have that as well.

Are you suggesting that one should not make suggestions to improve a
software product, since one "should have done the research first, and not
bought the product if it doesn't suit every need 100%"? (In that case, one
wouldn't end up buying any software.)

I'm surprised to have received two silly responses from Outlook MVPs. I
hope
someone can help with this problem, rather than attacking the questioner.

Perhaps the better approach for you would be to decide what you want
your software to do for you then research your purchases more carefully.
Wouldn't that be better than finding out after you make your purchase
that the program doesn't do what you think it should?

I am sure there are all kinds of telephony applications out there that
can provide any kind of dialing and voice support you want. But I would
not expect my operating system to do that. I haven't run into many
people who do. (I don't expect my operating system to provide fax
capability either, and indeed it does not--even though it pretends to).

I am sure there are all kinds of CRM software out there too that will do
what you want. Outlook is not a CRM program. We really aren't the ones
to research that kind of information for you.

------
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

That is a pretty silly response from an MVP.

You are implying that I'm lazy for trying to find a way to auto-redial
a
phone number? Not at all. (Even implying that my asking about auto-redial
symbolizes the "downfall" of the USA! How silly! (LOL))

Have you ever tried repeatedly to dial a number that was always busy, such
as a tech support line? It certainly would be convenient to be able to use
auto-redial in such a situation.

I did not mean that it is too much physical exertion to push the
buttons on
the phone repeatedly, to manually redial over and over. It would, however,
free up my time to get other work done, while the computer is doing the
auto-redialing, and I would pick up the phone when connected. A perfectly
rational use of technology. I am very surprised that an app called "Phone
Dialer" is included with Windows, and that although the dial-up-networking
program and the terminal program that comes with Windows do
auto-redial, the
voice dialer does not.

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"

halfway convinced, after reading this post, that computers will make

sagging

lumps of lard of all of those who cannot envision actually having to

perform

an action, even a repetitive action, without the use of technology. No

need

for terrorism to bring down the US, it is already on its own road.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]



MS asked:

| Well, Outlook has its own interface for dialing a phone number. Are
| you saying that it actually works through the phone dialer app?
|
| No way to get either Outlook or the Phone Dialer app to do
| auto-redial? There should be. To me the scenario I described is the
| only use I'd have for dialing a voice call with the computer, rather
| than with the telephone. (Perhaps some phones have auto redial. Mine
| doesn't. If I have to keep redialing a number that's busy, I have to
| press the off button (cordless phone), wait a few seconds, press the
| on button, then press the redial button. If it's busy for a while,
| and I have to keep repeating this, it's tiresome and time-consuming.
| Would be nice if the computer could keep dialing the number until it
| gets through.)
|
| There are a couple Windows XP apps that do automatic redials if busy,
| although neither is meant for voice calls. One is the DUN app (don't
| know if it's still called that) for dial-up Internet connections. You
| can set that to redial automatically if busy. Same thing with
| Hyperterminal. I'm really surprised that the same cannot be done for
| voice calls.
|
| Anyone from Microsoft listening?
|
| Anyone know of a 3rd party freeware app that can do this?
|
|
|
| || You just answered your own question. Outlook has nothing to do with
|| this. Everything is handled by the Windows Phone dialer, a very
|| simple program that can do nothing but dial a number. Once.
|| ------
|| Russ Valentine
|| [MVP-Outlook]
||



|| MS wrote:
||| I discovered one can use Outlook 2003 to dial a phone number.
||| (Contacts applet, Actions menu, Call Contact).
|||
||| However, I do not see a setting for auto redial. For instance, one
||| is trying to reach a tech support dept., and always getting a busy
||| signal. This would be a good scenario for having a computer dial
||| the number, to keep dialing until there is a connection. (One
||| should hear the ringing and busy signal sounds through the computer
||| speakers, so that if one goes away from the computer, one can hear
||| when there is finally a ring, in order to pick up the phone.)
|||
||| But I don't see a setting for auto redial for this "Call Contact"
||| feature. Does it automatically do this? How many redials? Is there
||| a way to set it somehow.
|||
||| I am surprised that the "Phone Dialer" app that comes with Win XP
||| also has no auto redial feature.I m

 

[MS]

I didn't "attack" anyone. I didn't attack any developers. I never thought
that Outlook "should" have auto redial. In fact, I just discovered that it
had a dial function at all! I suggested, however, that having that dial
function, that really should include an ability to do auto redial, which I
would think wouldn't be difficult to add. Ditto for the Phone Dialer app
with Windows.

No, I didn't choose Windows or Outlook for phone dialing capabilities. (LOL)

Multiple crossposts trimmed.
My goodness. If you felt "attacked" by my post then I apologize. I was
simply suggesting that you know what you are getting before you purchase a
product rather than attacking the developers only after you discover that
the product doesn't do what you thought it should. Outlook's features are
not a secret. You can send Outlook feature requests to
http://register.microsoft.com/mswish/suggestion.asp

As for the fax issues, you clearly do not know to whom you are replying
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Quite surprising, two Outlook MVPs so far, whose attitude is to criticize
a
user asking for advice, rather than help him or her. Is there a place to
report to Microsoft on the helpfulness of MVPs?

Sorry, but I didn't "research" Windows. My computer came with it. If I was
choosing between OSs to buy, whether a phone dialer applet had auto redial
would certainly not be a major factor in deciding which OS to buy. I did
purchase Office 2003, but again, no--I did not research auto redial.

Windows does provide fax capability. It works fine for me to send faxes, I
don't know why it doesn't work for you.

And, as mentioned, Windows XP does come with a phone dialer app to dial
voice calls, which can be done from Outlook as well. Since other telephony
apps in the OS, such as the dial-up-networking, and the hyperterminal
applet, have auto redial, it would make sense for the phone dialer applet
to
have that as well.

Are you suggesting that one should not make suggestions to improve a
software product, since one "should have done the research first, and not
bought the product if it doesn't suit every need 100%"? (In that case, one
wouldn't end up buying any software.)

I'm surprised to have received two silly responses from Outlook MVPs. I
hope
someone can help with this problem, rather than attacking the questioner.

Perhaps the better approach for you would be to decide what you want
your software to do for you then research your purchases more carefully.
Wouldn't that be better than finding out after you make your purchase
that the program doesn't do what you think it should?

I am sure there are all kinds of telephony applications out there that
can provide any kind of dialing and voice support you want. But I would
not expect my operating system to do that. I haven't run into many
people who do. (I don't expect my operating system to provide fax
capability either, and indeed it does not--even though it pretends to).

I am sure there are all kinds of CRM software out there too that will do
what you want. Outlook is not a CRM program. We really aren't the ones
to research that kind of information for you.

------
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

MS wrote:
That is a pretty silly response from an MVP.

You are implying that I'm lazy for trying to find a way to auto-redial
a
phone number? Not at all. (Even implying that my asking about auto-redial
symbolizes the "downfall" of the USA! How silly! (LOL))

Have you ever tried repeatedly to dial a number that was always busy, such
as a tech support line? It certainly would be convenient to be able

to
use

auto-redial in such a situation.

I did not mean that it is too much physical exertion to push the
buttons on
the phone repeatedly, to manually redial over and over. It would, however,
free up my time to get other work done, while the computer is doing the
auto-redialing, and I would pick up the phone when connected. A perfectly
rational use of technology. I am very surprised that an app called "Phone
Dialer" is included with Windows, and that although the dial-up-networking
program and the terminal program that comes with Windows do
auto-redial, the
voice dialer does not.

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"

halfway convinced, after reading this post, that computers will make

sagging

lumps of lard of all of those who cannot envision actually having to

perform

an action, even a repetitive action, without the use of technology. No

need

for terrorism to bring down the US, it is already on its own road.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]



MS asked:

| Well, Outlook has its own interface for dialing a phone number. Are
| you saying that it actually works through the phone dialer app?
|
| No way to get either Outlook or the Phone Dialer app to do
| auto-redial? There should be. To me the scenario I described is the
| only use I'd have for dialing a voice call with the computer, rather
| than with the telephone. (Perhaps some phones have auto redial. Mine
| doesn't. If I have to keep redialing a number that's busy, I have to
| press the off button (cordless phone), wait a few seconds, press the
| on button, then press the redial button. If it's busy for a while,
| and I have to keep repeating this, it's tiresome and time-consuming.
| Would be nice if the computer could keep dialing the number until it
| gets through.)
|
| There are a couple Windows XP apps that do automatic redials if busy,
| although neither is meant for voice calls. One is the DUN app (don't
| know if it's still called that) for dial-up Internet connections. You
| can set that to redial automatically if busy. Same thing with
| Hyperterminal. I'm really surprised that the same cannot be done for
| voice calls.
|
| Anyone from Microsoft listening?
|
| Anyone know of a 3rd party freeware app that can do this?
|
|
|
| || You just answered your own question. Outlook has nothing to do with
|| this. Everything is handled by the Windows Phone dialer, a very
|| simple program that can do nothing but dial a number. Once.
|| ------
|| Russ Valentine
|| [MVP-Outlook]
||



|| MS wrote:
||| I discovered one can use Outlook 2003 to dial a phone number.
||| (Contacts applet, Actions menu, Call Contact).
|||
||| However, I do not see a setting for auto redial. For instance, one
||| is trying to reach a tech support dept., and always getting a busy
||| signal. This would be a good scenario for having a computer dial
||| the number, to keep dialing until there is a connection. (One
||| should hear the ringing and busy signal sounds through the computer
||| speakers, so that if one goes away from the computer, one can hear
||| when there is finally a ring, in order to pick up the phone.)
|||
||| But I don't see a setting for auto redial for this "Call Contact"
||| feature. Does it automatically do this? How many redials? Is there
||| a way to set it somehow.
|||
||| I am surprised that the "Phone Dialer" app that comes with Win XP
||| also has no auto redial feature.I m

 

[MS]

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"

Because my manual (electric) typewriter does not have a CRT for me to read
the collective wisdom imparted in Usenet by clever users who apparently
don't know how to use http://www.google.com to find a solution to their
problem, rather than personally attacking the MVPs who attempt to answer
questions.

And for printed documents? Do you use the manual typewriter for that? Or a
computer and printer? If the latter, is that due to laziness, turning you
into a "sagging lump of lard"?

How did you attempt to answer my question? Instead, you came up with some
sarcasm implying that I was lazy by requesting information on auto-redial,
which already exists in Windows for DUN, HT, and Fax, and asking if there
was a way to get that to work for dialing voice calls. You implied that
asking that question was the epitome of laziness, of someone using
technology to avoid all effort, becoming a "sagging lump of lard", a symbol
of the decline of the US no less! Really quite absurd!


MS asked:

| By the way, Milly, why did you type the message below on a computer
| rather than a manual typewriter.
|
| Is it that you are becoming a "sagging lump of lard", because you
| "cannot envision actually having to perform an action without the use
| of technology"? When is the last time you used that manual
| typewriter? Lazy fingers???
|
|
| "Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"
| || halfway convinced, after reading this post, that computers will make
|| sagging lumps of lard of all of those who cannot envision actually
|| having to perform an action, even a repetitive action, without the
|| use of technology. No need for terrorism to bring down the US, it
|| is already on its own road.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

I agree you did not attack anyone. I was just pointing out the hyperbole
involved in the use of the word when you felt attacked by my pointing out
that the functions you are looking for are typically provided by the phone
company or third party software, not the OS or Outlook.
There was a reason I drew an analogy to the fax program. Windows provides a
very basic, featureless fax module. Yet users are constantly complaining the
it does not fulfill their every faxing need. Somehow they feel they should
not have to purchase a full featured fax program if they have Windows.
Microsoft can't win. If they provide too much functionality, they get in the
crosshairs of the DOJ. If they don't provide enough, users get mad. In my
opinion, Outlook already suffers from lack of focus and the bloat of trying
to do too many things for too many types of users. I prefer to let third
party vendors write the add-ons for users who need more specific features.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I didn't "attack" anyone. I didn't attack any developers. I never thought
that Outlook "should" have auto redial. In fact, I just discovered that it
had a dial function at all! I suggested, however, that having that dial
function, that really should include an ability to do auto redial, which I
would think wouldn't be difficult to add. Ditto for the Phone Dialer app
with Windows.

No, I didn't choose Windows or Outlook for phone dialing capabilities.
(LOL)

Multiple crossposts trimmed.
My goodness. If you felt "attacked" by my post then I apologize. I was
simply suggesting that you know what you are getting before you purchase
a
product rather than attacking the developers only after you discover that
the product doesn't do what you thought it should. Outlook's features are
not a secret. You can send Outlook feature requests to
http://register.microsoft.com/mswish/suggestion.asp

As for the fax issues, you clearly do not know to whom you are replying

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Quite surprising, two Outlook MVPs so far, whose attitude is to criticize
a
user asking for advice, rather than help him or her. Is there a place
to
report to Microsoft on the helpfulness of MVPs?

Sorry, but I didn't "research" Windows. My computer came with it. If I was
choosing between OSs to buy, whether a phone dialer applet had auto redial
would certainly not be a major factor in deciding which OS to buy. I
did
purchase Office 2003, but again, no--I did not research auto redial.

Windows does provide fax capability. It works fine for me to send
faxes, I
don't know why it doesn't work for you.

And, as mentioned, Windows XP does come with a phone dialer app to dial
voice calls, which can be done from Outlook as well. Since other telephony
apps in the OS, such as the dial-up-networking, and the hyperterminal
applet, have auto redial, it would make sense for the phone dialer applet
to
have that as well.

Are you suggesting that one should not make suggestions to improve a
software product, since one "should have done the research first, and not
bought the product if it doesn't suit every need 100%"? (In that case, one
wouldn't end up buying any software.)

I'm surprised to have received two silly responses from Outlook MVPs. I
hope
someone can help with this problem, rather than attacking the questioner.

Perhaps the better approach for you would be to decide what you want
your software to do for you then research your purchases more carefully.
Wouldn't that be better than finding out after you make your purchase
that the program doesn't do what you think it should?

I am sure there are all kinds of telephony applications out there that
can provide any kind of dialing and voice support you want. But I
would
not expect my operating system to do that. I haven't run into many
people who do. (I don't expect my operating system to provide fax
capability either, and indeed it does not--even though it pretends
to).

I am sure there are all kinds of CRM software out there too that will do
what you want. Outlook is not a CRM program. We really aren't the ones
to research that kind of information for you.

------
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

MS wrote:
That is a pretty silly response from an MVP.

You are implying that I'm lazy for trying to find a way to auto-redial
a
phone number? Not at all. (Even implying that my asking about
auto-redial
symbolizes the "downfall" of the USA! How silly! (LOL))

Have you ever tried repeatedly to dial a number that was always
busy,
such
as a tech support line? It certainly would be convenient to be able to
use
auto-redial in such a situation.

I did not mean that it is too much physical exertion to push the
buttons
on
the phone repeatedly, to manually redial over and over. It would,
however,
free up my time to get other work done, while the computer is doing the
auto-redialing, and I would pick up the phone when connected. A
perfectly
rational use of technology. I am very surprised that an app called
"Phone
Dialer" is included with Windows, and that although the
dial-up-networking
program and the terminal program that comes with Windows do
auto-redial,
the
voice dialer does not.

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"

halfway convinced, after reading this post, that computers will make

sagging

lumps of lard of all of those who cannot envision actually having to

perform

an action, even a repetitive action, without the use of technology. No

need

for terrorism to bring down the US, it is already on its own road.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]



MS asked:

| Well, Outlook has its own interface for dialing a phone number.
Are
| you saying that it actually works through the phone dialer app?
|
| No way to get either Outlook or the Phone Dialer app to do
| auto-redial? There should be. To me the scenario I described is
the
| only use I'd have for dialing a voice call with the computer, rather
| than with the telephone. (Perhaps some phones have auto redial. Mine
| doesn't. If I have to keep redialing a number that's busy, I have to
| press the off button (cordless phone), wait a few seconds, press the
| on button, then press the redial button. If it's busy for a while,
| and I have to keep repeating this, it's tiresome and time-consuming.
| Would be nice if the computer could keep dialing the number until it
| gets through.)
|
| There are a couple Windows XP apps that do automatic redials if busy,
| although neither is meant for voice calls. One is the DUN app (don't
| know if it's still called that) for dial-up Internet connections. You
| can set that to redial automatically if busy. Same thing with
| Hyperterminal. I'm really surprised that the same cannot be done for
| voice calls.
|
| Anyone from Microsoft listening?
|
| Anyone know of a 3rd party freeware app that can do this?
|
|
|
message
| || You just answered your own question. Outlook has nothing to do with
|| this. Everything is handled by the Windows Phone dialer, a very
|| simple program that can do nothing but dial a number. Once.
|| ------
|| Russ Valentine
|| [MVP-Outlook]
||



|| MS wrote:
||| I discovered one can use Outlook 2003 to dial a phone number.
||| (Contacts applet, Actions menu, Call Contact).
|||
||| However, I do not see a setting for auto redial. For instance, one
||| is trying to reach a tech support dept., and always getting a busy
||| signal. This would be a good scenario for having a computer dial
||| the number, to keep dialing until there is a connection. (One
||| should hear the ringing and busy signal sounds through the computer
||| speakers, so that if one goes away from the computer, one can hear
||| when there is finally a ring, in order to pick up the phone.)
|||
||| But I don't see a setting for auto redial for this "Call
Contact"
||| feature. Does it automatically do this? How many redials? Is there
||| a way to set it somehow.
|||
||| I am surprised that the "Phone Dialer" app that comes with Win
XP
||| also has no auto redial feature.I m

 

[Brian Tillman]

Why do you expect your operating system to provide a newsgroup reader
then, and an Internet Browser?

It is Microsoft's desire to drive other companies out of business that has
resulted in the inclusion of an Internet browser and newsreader, not others'
expectations that they should be included. There are many browsers and
newsreaders available, some even free, so it should never have become an
expectation.

I guess those features are there,
whether one "expects" them or not. Does that mean that one has no
right to complain when there are problems with those programs,

You're entitled to complain about advertised features of those programs that
don't work properly, but you're not entitled to complain that a feature
never included in the program doesn't work.

that one cannot make suggestions for improvement, because one "should not
expect an operating system to do that"?

Suggestions for improvement are always appropriate.

 

[Brian Tillman]

And for printed documents? Do you use the manual typewriter for that?
Or a computer and printer? If the latter, is that due to laziness,
turning you into a "sagging lump of lard"?

Since the effort to produce an original composition printed on a
computer/printer combination is approximately the same as to produce said
composition on a typewriter, the caloric expenditure should be approximately
equal.

 

[MS]

You're entitled to complain about advertised features of those programs that
don't work properly, but you're not entitled to complain that a feature
never included in the program doesn't work.

Are you saying I did that? I was surprised that the phone dialer app, and
its counterpart in Outlook (which I didn't realize was the same program
before someone mentioned that here) has no auto redial function, as that
seems an obvious feature of such a program to me (the only reason I would
use a computer for voice dialing), and it is included in other Windows
telephony applets. I first asked if it was possible, when the response was
no I did indicate surprise at that, that a voice dialing app should include
that, but I wouldn't really categorize that as a "complaint", more of a
suggestion.

 

[MS]

Well, since it seems like the Voice Dialer applet in Windows (and in
Outlook) will not do auto redial, could someone recommend a program that
will?

As it is something I would use only occasionally, I probably wouldn't want
to spend a lot of money for an expensive complicated telephony app, of which
most features I wouldn't use. Could someone recommend a freeware or
inexpensive shareware app that will do auto-redial of voice calls?

 

[Brian Tillman]

Are you saying I did that?

No. I was commenting on your (rhetorical?) question: