Originally Posted by
Mychael
Ready check is a very separate feature from <call>. The issue is not "ease of use," but that a ready check inherently requires user feedback (by whatever easy/difficult method SE devises) to say "Yes, I'm here." It serves its purpose of ensuring that everyone's present at their computer, i.e. conducting a ready check. <call>s accomplish a very different thing.
Maybe this will help put it in perspective. Ready check is like when your gradeschool teachers went around the room, called each person's name, and everyone raised their hand and piped up a (not-so-)cheerful "Here!" <call> is the bell/announcement/whatever that happened at the end of every day alerting you that you're free to leave. It's the fire alarm that rang occasionally telling you "GTFO OR YOU'LL DIE!" (Well....in theory.) It is a notification feature, not a yes/no question.