[Asterisk-Users] Asterisk on Cygwin?

[Steven Critchfield]

On Wed, 2003-07-16 at 09:10, jltaylor wrote:
> Is the hassle in running it or setting it up?
> 
> This gets back to my interest in a CD to boot and install a "basic" system on a hard drive.
> 
> Something like a 2 line 4 station version and then a single T1, 4 station, 2 line.
> 
> This is why there is a users list and a developers list.
> As a user, I just want a CD with typical config ready to go.
> As a developer, I want to play with and tweak everything, including the OS.

But there is _NO_ typical config. This is enough of a problem. Plus
there is no need to host an ISO of the OS and cost digium money in
bandwidth that other people are more than willing to do. The maintaining
of a OS ISO is immense and best left to other projects. In fact the only
thing really needed is for someone to set up a nightly build and package
of asterisk into the couple of different package formats and make it
available to the world.

> Others are asking for a GUI or web interface.  There's a place for all of this.
> 
> Look at what's involved in getting started:
> You either have to download 600+MB Linux, install, compile, etc. Or
> run out and buy a Linux version and install, compile, etc.  Now for
> most of us this is not a big problem.  But, just look at the time
> envolved in setting up a couple of 266mz boxes to play and test with.

See you need to learn about other distros and installers. I know that
Mandrake and RH offer network installs, and debian shouldn't be
installed any other way. I'm only commenting on debians network install
because I know it, but you only download 28 megs of files and then only
what you are going to install after that. Total download for an asterisk
machine should be under 150 megs.

> Put an ISO on the site and watch hardware sales fly...

Do you think the ISO will change all these VoIP only users into hardware
users? If you listen to the comments from them, it is a cost issue
mostly on the hardware, not the software. No amount of software bundling
is going to change the budget of a user.

> And then watch the "consultants" market grow.  There will be posts
> like:  "...well I bought the hardware, installed, it works but I need
> xxxyyy, can any one log into my system and program this thing?..."

I doubt this. The consultants market will be more of the kind like VCCH
is doing which is going out to a site and saying, "We can provide you
this, that, and these other things all for a price under that quote you
have in your hands now." The difference here is that most users that
already found their way here and went ahead with a purchase of hardware
will either already know how to do it themselves, or are patient enough
to wait till that feature comes forward. Those who need consultants
usually will not be the ones we see. 

-- 
Steven Critchfield  <critch at basesys.com>