The original Star Trek somehow convinced us that we need computers that will talk to us. I mean, it seemed pretty cool. The concept of saying, “Hey, computer, do this. Do that.” Yeah, the idea is good.

No one ever anticipated how annoying it would be.

Too late. Talking gizmos are everywhere, and if you dial a large company more often than not you’ll end up speaking to a stupid freaking computer. It’s such a problem that people have exerted significant effort to get around it. Thus the website “Dial A Human” was born: DialAHuman.com

Dial A Human is an online list of major companies, their phone numbers, and hints on the quickest way to end up speaking to a real live person. It’s an indispensable reference for anyone who has to call a bank, an airline, etc.

The people who run it saw a need, built the site, and keep it updated for the good of all mankind.

Thank you, Dial A Human. Thank you.