'Click–to–Call'

When I saw the term "Click–to–Call" in the headline of last Thurday's Washington Post ".com" column by Leslie Walker I was kind of intrigued.

I read the article but ended up disappointed.

What I thought the term would mean is that if you happened to be online and had VOIP you could click on the "Click–to–Call" button and you'd immediately be connected and talking to someone at the other end via your computer.

That would be major.

I don't know if you've noticed but those interactive web sites that were supposed to provide online typed help in real time seem to have faded away for the most part.

Every time I tried one a year or two ago when they were kind of popular either the thing didn't work at all or it was just way too inefficient and frustrating.

But alas, "Click–to–Call" sounds a lot more interesting than it is.

Walker wrote that at Amazon the feature enables you to type in your phone number and then the merchant whose item you're interested in calls you right back.

That's lame.

Perhaps you've heard of that great country song entitled "If The Phone Don't Ring?"

Here — try it yourself.

Not ready for prime time, is what I say about "Click–to–Call."

Not even close.