[Asterisk-Users] Features you'd like to see in a GUI?

Thu Aug 4 10:53:08 MST 2005

Please don't hijack this thread.

On 8/4/05, Kanuri, Seshu (Company IT) <Seshu.Kanuri at morganstanley.com> wrote:
> Senad,
> 
> I don't want to take this conversation much further and send a laundry
> list of issues we faced with Switchware to this forum, and the myriads
> of bugs we have wrestled with in the past 18 months, as that list is too
> long and this forum is not for that purpose.
> 
> >In addition, our clients we deal on regular basis do
> > not "disappear". Each and every client is looked after by us.
> > They do not, "install" the software try it and then come back
> > after several weeks/months and start the install process all
> > over again... That is not a workable model for anyone.
> 
> The answer to your above comments is already known to you and it is
> already mentioned in Para-1. As you already knew, the two install
> efforts by me, one in September-October 2004 and  One in
> November-December 2004 have failed to install a working software. On
> several occasions when I have reverted back to you on giving me a
> working version, your answer ( as well as Stephen Wingfield's ) was that
> Bicom don't have one ready.
> 
> Infact, as I remember this correctly, Switchware was taken out of your
> product list due to these issues. Moreover is it ethical or legitimate
> to sell a software that has to be installed only by your technical team
> and works only on a specific hardware for a given network card and for a
> given IP. You don't even have a tarball to download and install till
> today, let alone a CD image?. This is not the way products are sold,
> where everything is closed, even the features of Asterisk that are
> available otherwise.
> 
> > Our "installed" clients certainly do not try to look
> > into our source code and then say "it is not working".
> 
> I don't understand what you mean by looking into your source code, but
> if you mean that "once Switchware is installed, live with what Bicom
> allows you to do with Asterisk, and dont ask questions like 'Why Cannot
> I use  4 Digit extensions' or 'Why cant I use ASTCC with Switchware' or
> 'Why cannot I create more than X number of channels'" or millions of
> other such questions, my answer is that this is totally out of line with
> the purpose of Asterisk as an Open Source software and if Digium knew
> what is going on, probably you are going to have legal issues as far as
> the GPL of the code is concerned, in the same way Sysmaster did with
> their SM7000 products.
> 
> Your Channel Locking and per channel pricing poilicy I am sure will put
> Oracle and Larry Ellsion to shame.
> 
> I feel that Bicom should have spent more time making Switchware or
> PBXware work cleanly, rather than spending most of the time in
> copyprotecting and closed sourcing Asterisk so that if the customer has
> to move the installation to another server, they have to call you for a
> new license code and pay you for the installation, rather than doing it
> himself.
> 
> This is against the open source philosophy we are all trying to benefit
> from.
> 
> Seshu Kanuri
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com
> [mailto:asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Senad J
> Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2005 12:47 PM
> To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
> Subject: RE: [Asterisk-Users] Features you'd like to see in a GUI?
> 
> > If your intention is just to build a GUI for Asterisk, read no
> > further.
> > If your desire is to build something more purposeful, your best bet
> > would be to see the existing commercial GUI/HostedPBX offerings like
> > Pbxware and Switchware from bicomsystems.com (
> > http://www.bicomsystems.com) and Thirdlane Technologies
> > (http://www.thirdlane.com/opensource.htm)
> > and
> > the Open Source software like AMP and try to emulate (or preferably
> > improve upon) them.
> >
> > My suggestion is to create a "VOIP Business in a Box System" that has
> > inter-alia following list of modules:
> >
> > 1) GUI To configure Administer Asterisk Extensions across many servers
> > 2) Postpaid and Prepaid Billing modules with realtime call progress
> > detection and call cut-off 3)CRM Module for customers to register and
> > provide their information for recurring billing.
> > 4)Web based conference room management module 5)Web based click to
> > dial and callback module
> >
> > Many of these modules are already available on Open Source like
> > SugarCRM, AsreskiCC etc., and Asterisk at home CD contains AMP and
> > SugarCRM at this time, besides other Open Source utilities like
> > PhpMyAdmin.
> >
> > Here is the bottomline:
> > ----------------------
> > The real need is for a commercially deployable solution that can
> > create a business, without too many additions to it.
> >
> > Bicom Systems has promised for too long that their Pbxware and
> > Switchware can fullfill this need to create a business, but they never
> 
> > deliverd their promise. PBXware and Switchware have been a total and
> > expensive disappointment to me and for the few who invested in them.
> 
> 
> I would not normally reply on a post like this, but since you are
> publicly expressing your opinion on products and services that we offer,
> I must defend our years of work.
> 
> We have PBXware and SWITCHware deployed at many locations around the
> globe - all working just fine. The combination of SWITCHware and other
> applications (Billing, CMS, Products & Services Database, Media Proxy,
> SER, Cluster servers etc) form what we call "Telco in a BOX". We have
> deployed such solutions in North America, Europe and shortly Asia. Our
> clients are small to medium and some of largest blue chip corporate
> companies in the world and even Chip Manufacturers. Our distributors
> include approved Digium distributors and have been deploying our
> products with no major issues.
> 
> As for "expensive disappointment" ... What is expensive ?
> If you mean a small switch costing several thousands or complete
> solutions costing several hundred of thousands. Take your pick  ...
> 
> In addition, our clients we deal on regular basis do not "disappear".
> Each and every client is looked after by us. They do not, "install" the
> software try it and then come back after several weeks/months and start
> the install process all over again... That is not a workable model for
> anyone.
> 
> Our "installed" clients certainly do not try to look into our source
> code and then say "it is not working".
> 
> As for putting "Business in a BOX"  and any of the many other projects
> together of which this list has had to endure from you in the past 24
> months, we wish you the best of luck and trust that they neither have
> proved too expensive or disappointing to discourage you further.
> 
> 
> 
> Senad Jordanovic
> www.bicomsystems.com
> 
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