@Alex Good point actually, cellphones render doorbells useless. More so than landlines, even, which are still useful. Who'd have thunk it, 20 years ago, that the cellphone is the doorbell killer, not the landline killer ?

The advertising thing is quite different : teenagers that don't want to turn tricks but need money are hired to distribute the leaflets, they work on geographic areas, company sends someone to check. If they see the leaflets in the box the kid is fired / fined / w.e. Just goes to show that marketing is satanic.

@Chett A capacitor hooked in might be a great idea. If you ring, it charges. If you ring for long enough, it charges enough to jolt you.

Often times I just operate on a whitelist basis: I turn off the intercom sound and you call me before you arrive. If I'm not expecting you, I have no business talking to you. Sucks for the postman, but then again, there's dozens of others numbers to dial.

* we do have a box in front of the building, where advertising could be dumped; alas, the delivery ppl can't rest at night if they don't stuff each individual mailbox

** living nearby a high school. yay teenagers.