[KLUG Driftwood] Fellow drifters!

[Bruce Smith]

> >>I assume at this point that everyone from the KLUG members list who has 
> >>interest in this project has taken the time to join the list.  So why 
> >>don't we go around the "room" and let eveyone know who is here, and 
> >I'm here!   :-)
> >>specifically what VOip and
> >Does SpeakFreely count?
> 
> Sure. 

In that case, I've done VoIP under Linux & Windows both!   :-)

> So does NetMeeting, GNOMEMeeting, gnophone, linphone, etc....  If
> someone on the list has a fair amount of NetMeeting experience that will
> be a boon.
> 
> >>or PBX experience you have, if any.
> >I'm been programming the "real" PBX systems at work for years, 
> >including the former ROLM system, and the current Toshiba PBX.
> 
> Morrison Industries just installed 13 Nortel BCM units which are
> PBX/routers in a single cabinet.  They do VOIP between all the locations
> over the private WAN. 

Is your "private WAN" a Internet VPN, or something more private like
dedicated point-to-point/multi-point lines?

> Any desk can call any other desk without touching
> POTs.  I configured most of the data related stuff, while Ameriwreck
> went through several iterations of screwed-up on the voice side.  While
> the BCMs are certainly *NOT* impressive equipment or VOIP
> implementations, the technology is pretty cool and a real win in $$$. 

I've thought about it with our Internet VPN, but I don't how much
Internet delays would be a problem, and I don't like the idea of using
the Internet bandwidth for voice.

> I've used VOIP clients (speakfreely and GNOMEMeeting) in the past
> occasionally and I've diddled a little with Asterisk.  It was the truly
> terrible VOIP/Nortel stuff that really made me interesting in getting
> something up and running, to see what it would be like if assembled by
> intelligent people.  I've never touched a "traditional" PBX and have no
> idea what they are like to operate, looking over shoulders has given me
> the impression it is miserable.

"miserable" is a fair description.  The inner workings of a PBX is kind
of interesting, but once you get past that, the work is tedious.  The
only advantage is it saves us a ton of money on consulting fees when I
do the PBX moves/adds/changes.

--------------------------------------------
Bruce Smith                bruce@armintl.com
System Administrator / Network Administrator
Armstrong International, Inc.
Three Rivers, Michigan  49093  USA
http://www.armstrong-intl.com/
--------------------------------------------