RE: [Asterisk-Users] unsubscribe
I know you'll never entirely be rid of these types of requests on any list, but some quick usability testing might help reduce the total number of them. :) Some observations: - To a user who is unfamiliar with listserv software (or one who is used to older ones that take commands on the subject line) the list footer doesn't mean much. Might be quickly assumed to be an archive search, etc. - The page itself is slightly confusing, given these words as the section header where one would modify their subscription: Asterisk-Users Subscribers The subscribers list is only available to the list administrator. While I'm sure most experienced users get the fact that the next box underneath is *not* only for administrators... it's not particularly clear, particulary for a new listserv user. A suggestion: Other lists I participate in have something more descriptive such as, To Unsubscribe ... (short instructions). Seems to work fairly well. Regards, James -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Andrew Kohlsmith Sent: Monday, November 24, 2003 3:09 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] unsubscribe Why do we even bother to try and point these people in the right direction? I agree. A trick I've used in the past is to filter the word 'unsubscribe' to incoming email and using some other metrics (mostly quantity of body text), unsubscribe them automatically. It's just not worth fighting over. Oh well. It could be worse; they could be top-posting. :-) Regards, Andrew ___ Asterisk-Users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users ___ Asterisk-Users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
RE: [Asterisk-Users] FAQ, Documentation, How-to, etc
Hi folks, From a newbie (to asterisk) perspective, I'd like to offer some advice. Please tolerate us new folks, whether we ask educated or even ignorant questions. Be gentle and point us in the right direction; after all, we will learn and will become the next generation of folks who can answer the easy questions. Someday we might even answer the hard ones too. A few observations: - every list I participate in has similar problems. Even if the FAQs, archives and docs are rock solid. Newbies need help, and a users list is a great resource to turn to; particularly when a google-archive search turns up thousands of hits that one needs to wade through to find a simple answer. - I'd suggest keeping business posts here, including commercial posts. I participate in ecommerce lists (where the nature of the subject mostly dictates a lot of commercial traffic), and it works well. Aside from hobbyists, I would believe that many people who need/want asterisk are SMBs. Embrace this group, it's a lucrative market. People who sell related products and services have a vested interest in answering questions; showing one's expertise builds ones reputation which in the long run turns into profit to the expert, ie: referrals. - Keep your list as open (and friendly) as possible; if I had to answer a quiz (or even be forced to read a FAQ) prior to posting, I might go elsewhere. (Note: I'm not saying one *shouldn't* read a FAQ, just don't make it part of your users list sign-up) If the goal of the list is to promote asterisk use, then tolerate the newbie asking a FAQ on the list and gently point him to the FAQ link rather than flaming them for not reading the FAQ. Just a few humble opinions from an outsider; I've seen this work well (not necessarily perfectly) in other places including our own lists that we host. :) cheers, James ___ Asterisk-Users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
[Asterisk-Users] Looking for recommendations for home office setups
Greetings Asterisk Users, I'm looking for some friendly advice on setting up a asterisk PBX for our small business. I've played with Asterisk and setup a soft-phone open323, though even on my ethernet network this showed very poor performance. Got a phone call through to digium, but had a difficult time either hearing (low volume) or understanding (line breaking up). Hoping a hardware solution would solve both of these. We're a small software company, with employees working from home in three different locations: - Atlanta: cable modem connection - Denver: ADSL/PPPOE connection - Oklahoma City: ADSL/PPPOE connection Is this a pipe dream? Here's my goal: - One phone one fax at each location - One telco phone line at each location - Utilize existing phones, though willing to buy new phones - Central asterisk server in Atlanta - Phone line best rate routing, outgoing calls routed through the hard-line at a different location if local, etc. ie: One can originate a call from the Atlanta phone, have it routed through the Denver outgoing line to another location in Denver to achieve a local phone call. As far as I understand, this may involve three hardware interfaces, one at each location (plus a central asterisk box). Each would have: - TCP/IP connection back to the central asterisk server (perhaps via a VPN? Or can we just use straight TCP/IP with some form of authentication. Caveat: we have NAT firewalls at each location. - Local telco phone line input - Analog line output for using existing phone, or potentially go via ethernet to a true IP phone? I believe I'm looking for some form of gateway box at each location, controlled by the Asterisk server. Possible? If so, what hardware is recommended. Thanks for any assistance, James Harrell Copernicus Business Systems www.copernicusllc.com ___ Asterisk-Users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
RE: [Asterisk-Users] Looking for recommendations for home office setups
Thanks Steve, First, thanks for the very nicely prepared (and well thought-out) message. ... I've tried to do my initial research, but with the list archive as big as this one is... I'm certain I've missed many pertinent posts. Sorry if this has been rehashed many times in the past. Going out on a limb below and asking more questions that will likely indicate a bit of ignorance on the topic. :) If your solution ends up being an asterisk box at each location, you can do this with 1 X100P and a 2-port TDM400P. I am hoping to avoid multiple asterisk servers simply from a management perspective. My ideal scenario would include one asterisk box at a central location managing several CPE type devices that have the FXO FXS embedded. Preferably these CPE devices could be managed by the asterisk to be used for the call routing scenario previously described. Would that require the CPE to support IAX or would SIP be sufficient? I think the answer to the question is the device would need to support IAX- hence the consideration for multiple asterisk boxes. Any embedded-type CPE devices around that natively support IAX, have at least one FXS and one FXO? Something along the lines of the LinkSys BEFN2PS4: http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=34scid=29prid=163 - though I understand this product is tied to Net2Phone. No chance of getting it to work on an Asterisk network, right? Or maybe the ZipCom VOIP TA http://www.zipcom.com.tw/zipcom/products/bata.htm - which looks a lot like the device I'm looking for, but probably not exactly, and maybe not managable through asterisk. The limited literature provided on this box indicates it switches an incoming PSTN call directly to the attached analog phone rather than routing it through to asterisk. Appears to only support SIP H323, can't find a retial source anyway. ;) If all else fails, I'm not *completely* averse to multiple asterisk boxes- just trying to avoid it. Regards, James ___ Asterisk-Users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
RE: [Asterisk-Users] Looking for recommendations for home office setups
... and one more note after which I'll try to be less bothersome ... I'm willing to pay a consultant in the Atlanta GA USA area to assist with deployment. Every hour I spend doing this takes away from my primary business opportunities. :) Feel free to contact me offlist. Thanks, James ___ Asterisk-Users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
