[asterisk-dev] Re: 'IAX2 call variable passing between servers '

[Andrew Kohlsmith]

On Friday 04 August 2006 11:52, Douglas Garstang wrote:
> Why is it assumed that anyone who uses Asterisk is a) a C programmer and b)
> wants to be a C programmer?

It's not.  Bug reports, configuration questions and the like are more than 
welcome, provided that they aren't accompanied by an attitude of entitlement.  
New features especially are much better received when a patch implementing 
part of the new feature is accompanying the request.

Asterisk development is very fast and for those of us who have definite needs 
not seen by the developers, infuriating.  :-)

I'm on both sides of the fence; I've written some (simple) patches for 
Asterisk and I've done custom development for users who aren't willing or 
able to code it themselves, but I'm also a user who's programming skills 
aren't all *that* great and who's understanding of Asterisk internals are 
spotty at best.  If the developers can't or won't see a need for a feature or 
specific way someone thinks it should work, it's very likely not going to get 
done.  It's the nature of open source development.

I agree with you that arbitrary data relating to a call should be EASILY 
passed between IAX2 peers.  I agree that the very definition of IAX2 suggests 
that it is a method to properly "link" Asterisk boxes together.  That puts us 
on one side of the discussion.  Tilghman gave us a very very good starting 
point.  As time permits I intend on continuing his work and "fighting the 
good fight" to get it into the asterisk source.  I've managed to do that with 
several other features, and I know that while uphill, it's not impossible. 

The trick, I think, is to be able to present it in a non-combative manner.  
"How else could I do it?" is often a good starting point.  We saw some 
replies involving mangling the Dial() string, but that's ... wow, nasty, 
prone to error and just isn't a really good solution.  Tilghman's managed to 
shut me up (for now, anyway, <G>) and I intend to take this proof-of-concept 
and turn it into something very very robust.

So no, not everyone who uses Asterisk has to be a programmer, but it sure 
doesn't hurt.  :-)

-A.