Originally posted by Coral Tech:
Originally posted by weiss:
[b]
Originally posted by Coral Tech:
[b] "Again, in my opinion, no commercial offering can touch Asterisk."
This is a joke right?
No joke, but I'd like to hear your reasons for disagreement. [/b]
Take this key system, https://www.necunifiedsolutions.com/Downloads/PDFs/UBSD/0893060_Aspire_S.pdf then compare this feature list:
https://www.asterisk.org/features
How about actually justifying your opinion? This is generally how discussions are held. Not that I don't like Asterisk, as I have had a linux box running Asterisk (and updated) for a few years. I mearly don't see where you are coming from to make that statement. [/b]Arrgggg.... Okay. I'll explain because it appears you are missing the concept of what Asterisk actually is.
Asterisk is a development platform first off. Albeit, one that comes preconfigured with many common options and features one might expect or desire in a phone system (as you managed to find on the Asterisk features list... see also Trixbox, formerly Asterisk@Home, for a simple install that works for many of the more common situations with many more added "features"). From there, you can configure it yourself (assuming you have spent the time to learn how, which doesn't take long at all). Being an OPEN system, you can change just about anything you want through programming changes or through configuration script edits. You can also allow other systems (computers, other software, other phone systems, etc.) to control, communicate with or serve info to your Asterisk system through a multitude of ways. Quite simply, you can do basically anything with it.
Can Asterisk do all the neato stuff listed in that nifty little NEC pdf? Absolutely! Do you need all of that for every installation? NO! Do you sometimes need "other stuff" that the NEC can't do? Of course! With Asterisk, you customize it to do exactly what you want and nothing more. We're not talking about a cookie cutter solution here. We are talking about a solution that can easily be TAILOR MADE to fit the needs and desires of the customer/user. If you decide later to add a "feature", you program it in, use any number of free scripts, controls or software most of which is FREELY available, or if it's a simple thing (like most of the NEC "features"), you add a couple of lines to the config and you're done. You don't have to buy an addon module or a software update.
I regret to admit that the one "feature" Asterisk is lacking is LIMITS. Limits on voice mail ports, number of voice mail boxes or messages per box... All of which that NEC system "features". 16 IP Terminals as a MAX? Are you kidding me? The list goes on...
Also, Asterisk can use more or less any codec/protocol you can throw at it. It appears, at least according to the literature, that the NEC is stuck with H.323. YUCK. <sarcasm>Boy that sure is state of the art stuff there. </sarcasm>
If I haven't "justified" properly, please, let me know. I'll try to do better.
