Re: Show caller ID

Interesting

Andy wrote:

> is this a program you get from them how do you get it?

Having tracked call tone and complete POTS telco connection data since writing 
assembly language code for this with my HeathKit H89 in 1976 before this was 
ever 'CNID", I'd guess this is a COMCAST utility if you are using their 
telephone service.  If you are using a generic POTS telephone line connection, 
then the necessary data to do this is part of the call progress information 
that is part of the telco service which starts on the first ring inbound for 
normal telephone line calls down the 'wire'.

Then to do this, at least some hardware interface is needed to be able to 'see' 
this call progress data which, when seen at the hardware interface to your 
phone 'line' you use, can be processed.  A computer program, or say a utility 
feature that could be added to your browser can then use this data from the 
hardware interface to do what is being asked here is the needed 'feature'.

The needed information data can, in many cases, be captured by a telephone POTS 
line modem, if it is capable of doing this.  Many are.  If your computer 
motherboard has a built-in modem, or you have one plugged into a PCI or USB or 
even Serial Port socket that will do this, it is possible to write the computer 
code to capture that, initially, at time of first ring, data which is part of 
all 'normal' calls.  Be careful about what 'normal' is depending on where you 
live this world, grin.  About seven percent of all USA used telephone company 
switch rack system line switches are 'reserved for internal use'.  That, 
originally to be used for repair and bridging purposes to patch around problems 
which normally result from equipment failures and line failures of various 
'sorts'.  Which, interestingly, have wound up open to security groups even on 
the outside of phone switches for defense and analysis purposes.  As those of 
us who grew up in the Project Echelon and 'The Dictionaries' telephone sniffing 
era know about.  Color me red, blue, pink; whatever...

This same hardware interface also can be used for actual voice or data capture, 
as a dedicated authentic process for the intended user.  But as well for 
man-in-the-middle data capture.  Whatever, keyboard sniffing, password 
collection, it gets bigger and bigger as we go up the technology ladder.

For very valid purposes, but *NEVER* to record voice, for example, I've used 
the Austin, Texas based Rochelle multi-line Model 2045 Caller ID Multi-LIne 
Adapters and their smaller two line units for many, many years for the needed 
work.  My complete call data interface and .. far more than just CNID logs for 
the connection data tracing, cover over 500,000 logged complete inbound and 
outbound service calls for what is absolutely needed here since the early 
1980's.  I write my own programs for all of this, as noted even back to 
assembly language in the HeathKit H89'as and Z100's.  Though I am not a browser 
coder, nor is this code even available as a discrete utility.

Be careful about what you ask for as a utility to a browser, though ... grin. 
That tool might open up very intense interest nd criticism of Seamonkey or 
Firefox.  In my humble opinion, of course.


-- 


--> Sleep well; OS2's still awake! ;)

Mike Luther