Log on Like It’s 1985: A Fragment of Minitel Returns
spectrum.ieee.org
spectrum.ieee.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minitel
It also answers the question of why '3615 SM' - 3615 was the code to dial to access Minitel, and Minitel services were often advertised as '3615 [service name]'.
3611 was the yellow pages, free for the first few minutes.
the numbers 3614, 3615 (up to 3619 IIRC) were actually defining the price. All 3615 servers cost the same; 3614 was cheaper, and 3616 more expensive. Some services were accessible through several prices, for instance 3614 AIRFRANCE and 3615 AIRFRANCE: you dialed the 3614 first, and if there was no line available, tried the more expensive (but otherwise identical) 3615...
ps: I'd love to try a slow / low res internet with cute devices like a minitel. Maybe with slightly increased specs and slightly better interfaces (functionally, not ~aesthetically). Remember when things used to take time ?
The documentation is a bit difficult, I'm having quite a bit of trouble with the block drawing mode. All the literature is in French and reading it is slow going.
Well worth a listen.