[asterisk-users] Re: Summary of "Trixbox vs. custom install"

[Edward Halman]

To piggy-back off of what Allen said, much of what I have learned about
configuring Asterisk and working with Linux has come from constructing my
system the manual way.  I use FC5, but I avoid using yum and don't install
from rpms when I can avoid it.  I typically install everything I need from
sources because I can load the modules I need and I know (or can specify)
which directories the binaries, scripts and config files go to.  And in
troubleshooting, I know where to look.  I seem to only have problems when I
take the rpm "shortcut."

Thanks to this list, I can get around dialplans and the SIP config files
with confidence.  I make extensive use of AGI (php and MySQL) in my business
application, all thanks to people on this list.  FreePBX was a great
beginning, but for me, that's all it was good for, a beginning.

I went through a similar metamorphosis with learning to configure postfix
and dovecot.  There is a similar freepbx-like web gui for configuring a mail
server that I used in the beginning as well.

I am a total Linux/Asterisk newbie and the process has been full of growing
pains, but I am glad I went through it.  I owe this list a lot, and of
course a very patient employer who went through many system crashes with me
without pulling his hair out or complaining because the phones were down.

Ed Halman
(718) 705-7451
ehalman at myhealthcharts.com

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Message: 26
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 11:05:12 -0500
From: Allen Casteran <allen at nisinc.com>
Subject: [asterisk-users] Re: Summary of "Trixbox vs. custom install"
To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
Message-ID: <er4kno$djl$1 at sea.gmane.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

As Stephen said, good summary.

 From my experience, installing from sources (with yum for updates and 
additional packages) I learned much about what is in the system. Frankly 
I did not find the GUIs to be "ready for primetime" when it comes to 
setting up a system. Using the GUI does not teach you about dialplans, 
SIP, or Zap configurations that are critical to understand if you are 
going to build/run a production system.

Between google, this list,  and some trial and error you should be able 
to get your first system up and running in a reasonable timeframe. The 
people here are experienced and very willing to help.

Best Regards,

Allen.



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