The little secret hidden in the method of manual configuration is that you can do the same things as mentioned above from only a small fraction of the same configuration code. It taks some longer time to learn, but you can do the same solutions quite different from the "all automatic systems". If you have some "library" of code, you can set up things rather quicly as well.
A basic system maybe but when you have specific dial patterns dependant on area codes and prefixes then you will soon find yourself manually looking up prefixes (around 1500 per area code) and manually inputting 5500+ config lines per area code. With FreePBX (and even Sail i beleive), you click a couple of times and you are done.
Whith such a manually configured system you have the freedom of doing all the specialised functions that the makers of the "all automatic system" did not think about.
FreePBX did think about it and is the best of both worlds. You can use the GUI for all the mundane items (like dial patterns) and are also free to do "manual specialized" configurations via config file editing as well.
I started with such "all automatic systems" for a while ago, but I think I never will return back to that kind of systems anymore.
Hook 3 servers together via IAX trunks and route the POTS calls depending on area code/prefix and you may just reconsider that.
It's a mather of taste. Some might prefere the one kind of solution, some the other.
The book describes the basic knowledge that is needed to get started to do your own things.
Exactly, "basic knowledge" and "getting started". If you intend on building an enterprise class phone system, you need to configure fast and accurate. Most of us in the real world don't have time to fiddle with config files, it just isn't practical at all.
It's no doubt that you will get quicker started with an "all automatic system" (I used asterisk@home myself). After some basic things is learned the next logical step is to learn to do things manually.
I am serious and trying to run a business and I would never do that. Since loading FreePBX, I have never had to do anything manually. FreePBX and Sail will save the seriuos business owner hundreds of hours and in turn thousands of dollars.
The real difference between you and me Arne is that you play around and I don't. Every Server I have is in production and works very well with minimum configuration time spent because I use the GUI's and I rarely touch a config file, I just don't have the time to "learn and have fun".
Arne, I finally figured you out.
You play with SME (and other software) to experiment, learn and have "fun"...
I use SME and other software to run a my business.
You probe others' minds to see how you can change something in the software...
I depend on those same minds and pay those same people to make those fancy GUI's for me.
You want to change a lot of things just for the sake of change...
SME is everything my small business needs and it works so I don't want it changed.
You like to manually configure everything...
I don't have the time.
You use SME as an education and a toy...
I use SME as a tool and to make my business grow.
We are 2 very different people and we will never see eye to eye, there is no point in even trying anymore. Anything I say, you will rebut. Your opinion is always going to be opposite of mine but this is natural as we see SME differently. Toy versus Tool, Apples versus Oranges.
You may now commence to writing an entire paragraph of dribble on why I am wrong. Why don't you spare everyone in this community and just email me personally (you are welcome to). You do know where to find my email address, don't you?
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