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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Asterisk Community Members:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>What a day we've all had! OK -- deep breath --
relax, and let's take a look at the situation calmly and
rationally.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I -- as the voice of Asterisk -- am really out of
the loop gossip-wise. I'm not even officially on the Asterisk-Users mailing
list. Who said what to whom? I don't know. I'm completely out of it. I
record prompts all year long, and once a year, I board a plane to Astricon where
I am fortunate enough to meet the users and developers who make this great
system run. I know nothing about the politics, the drama, the door-slamming or
anything else, so when -- in Anaheim last month -- I made jaws drop when I asked
why that fantastic, fun BKW wasn't here this year, it came from a really honest
place: I knew (and still know) nothing about what happened with BKW and
community. All I was told is that he was no longer in good standing with the
community. This made me feel a little odd, as not two weeks earlier, I had
recorded prompts for BKW not knowing that he wasn't a developer in good
standing.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>At Astricon, I asked Mark what I should do if
BKW should approach me for more recordings, and (pay close attention, as this it
totally key to the whole thing) <EM><U>he neither encouraged me</U></EM>
<EM><U>nor discouraged me from doing them</U></EM> -- he took a very neutral
position. Couldn't have been more "Switzerland". </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I made the decision -- <EM><U>and me alone</U></EM>
-- that when I was approached to record again for BKW, that I would recuse
myself, as I feel loyal and dedicated to Digium -- the company who hired me
originally to voice the Asterisk prompts, the company that pays me to this day
for recording prompts on a daily basis, the company who brings me down to the
conventions and makes way too big of a fuss over me. I explained to BKW
-- in almost exactly those words -- why I couldn't continue to work with
him. No position taken...no judgement (how can I? Can't judge if
you don't know any of the details) ....just out of loyalty to Digium, it
seemed to be a conflict to record prompts for someone who wasn't officially part
of the community anymore -- and -- it would appear -- is actually associated
with a <EM>competing</EM> product. He seemed to be OK with it when we rang
off -- then, a few minutes later came a mildly vitriolic e-mail from
him, and then -- the Asterisk user board started to buzz. No doubt, he thought
about the logistics of finding a new voice and having the prompts re-recorded
from the ground up, and found it to be an overwhelmingly daunting thought -- not
finding new talent...I'm completely replacable...but the recording of all-new
prompts...oy.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Let me be very clear about this, guys: Mark and the
group have not "strong-armed" me, "backed me into a corner" or threatened me in
any way with any bizarre exclusivity agreement. I've even voiced for the major
Bells (you know -- the guys on the t-shirts with the big line through them?)
Mark does not own the rights to my voice....that I know of. He is not holding me
hostage in his basement, making me record only for him (I am captive in his
basement, but I choose to be there.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Digium's best interests were the only thing in my
mind when I took this stand, and that hasn't worked out so well...so let's try
this: I will be happy to record prompts for whomever. Whether they are in good
standing or not. Asterisk is so superior a product that it will not be diluted
or made less effective by my voice being heard on other systems (and it is,
already, anyhow -- in systems worldwide too numerous to track.) I simply
want to do the best work I can, and make sure that the community has all the
prompts they will ever need for as long as these vocal cords will allow me to
record. No alliances, no crazy politics, no drama -- my life's mission has
been to get along with everyone I've ever met, and except for today, I've come
pretty damn close.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Love you all! You're all perfect
lambs!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Allison</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>