[Asterisk-Users] Comparison Charts

[Jim Van Meggelen]

asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com wrote:
> Guys.
> 
> Anybody has a URL or some document with comparison charts
> with Asterisk's features against other PBXs?

I would argue that what you ask is in some ways impossible. Asterisk is
orders of magnitude more flexible than any other PBX you may have
encountered, because it is more like a toolkit than a PBX. Whatever is
"missing" can be built, so there's no list of features that can ever be
considered complete.

For people who are looking for a PBX that has a user-friendly interface
and is easy to configure, Asterisk will tend to dissappoint. Where
Asterisk shines is for those people who want to--need to--build their
own PBX. People who are willing to do the work themselves; designing,
testing, debugging, re-designing . . .

Many of us believe that Asterisk is going to transform the
telecommunication industry, but it won't do it because it has more
"features", it'll do it because it puts the control of the features list
where it belongs: in the customer's hands.

I would suggest that the best way to approach Asterisk is to have a list
of things that you need your telephone system to do. Then, one-by-one,
figure out how to handle each of those in Asterisk. When you are done,
you may have a few that you couldn't find a satisfactory solution to.
Those can typically be custom developed, and surprisingly, you will
still probably come in at a lower cost than a closed, so-called
full-featured proprietary system.

What's more, as your needs grow, Asterisk can grow with you. Five years
from now you won't need to hear "oh sorry but that system is no longer
supported". Want new functionality? Install it. Is the hard drive
wearing out? Replace it. Need more CPU power? Migrate to a new chassis.

Asterisk changes all the rules. Therfore, to understand it, you have to
adopt a new way of thinking about telecom systems.

Welcome to Asterisk!


--
Jim Van Meggelen
jim at vanmeggelen.ca


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