These forums are for any and all Commercial modules sold from the FreePBX Store. You can ask any questions here related to those modules. Also please remember to review all the documentation on our wiki before asking questions here.
I have mixed feelings about the potential for movement of attractive new features into commercial modules, never to show up in the FreePBX evolution. I have no problem with superextensions to the distro for special needs. When features are marketed as simply “better” I wince. How will these upgrades find their way back into the mainstream?
There are/were many things that have been released as OSS and are completely 100% free that have happened in the last 6 months, here are a few, also remember that the support and fixes you’ve asked for in terms of dahdiconfig also come from the coffers of Schmoozecom and the coffers of commercial modules. So while you may wince, without those modules dahdiconfig would have been left to die.
Motif
Dahdi Config
Parking Lots (re-built from the ground up)
Logger
FreePBX installer fixed to work with non-centos systems
Extension Routing (A Free Commercial Module)
Numerous fixes to core discovered because of commercial modules
etc.
Don’t forget the end point manager which tm1000 has worked on for many years. There are literately thousands of people who work to make open source software possible and thus make FreePBX possible.
I install VoIP phone systems for a living. I can assure you that it costs many, many thousands of dollars to install and maintain commercial VoIP systems.
I install Digium Switchvox. Digium sells Switch systems and then tacks on the licenses for each user. You need to renew the licenses each year if you want software updates and support from Digium.
With FreePBX you get a phone system that is as good (if not better) than systems that you would pay thousands of dollars for. You get free support in these forums from people like Andrew and Tony and many other Schmooze Com employees. I try my best to help people in these forums of which I receive no financial compensation for.
You benefit greatly from the work of all these people. The least you could do is purchase a commercial module. The commercial end pint manages is only $25 US and would be a bargain at many times that cost.
Don’t think I am unaware that “free” costs am cheap. I think feed back is good and my fears valid. I expect to support the distro as I hope many others do. As far as I can tell, FreePBX is the only thing keeping Asterisk from obscurity. That said there is much to do to take it out of geekdom and into main stream and I don’t want to see the effort branched in any way that impedes success.
Take my fears for what the are worth, feedback.
Dropped the “or” after “costs”.
I have to be careful here as I have been told to STFU by the highest authorities, but I can say that that what some might consider “core functionality” in a new FreePBX deployment for example the sysadmin module and other “Free but commercially licensed” modules will not “at any time soon” be available outside the official FreePBX distribution, and if ever so, be currently denied to more esoteric deployments.
I accept their restrictions and will abide by them, but as yet still question why they chose that route when other routes are available . . .
The commercial modules are available on any centos system. It doesnt have to be the FreePBX distro.
They already work on PBX in a flash.
They could work on AsteriskNow (If it ever gets updated)
and if you hand roll your own they are supported if you hand roll on centos. This is because of the specific locations of binaries and system setups we are used to in centos.
Here’s the link (official link) in all it’s glory that disproves your “theory” that the commercial modules only work in the FreePBX distro. http://wiki.freepbx.org/display/FCM/Asterisk+Now+and+Other+FreePBX+System
If we have ever told you to “STFU” it’s because you post incorrect information to the masses, sometimes. (Please note I said sometimes)
Sure they aren’t available on ubuntu/debian at THIS time. But they will work on any centos, not only the FreePBX distro but any centos.
I care to reissue, yes they ARE available on Debian/ArchLinux based systems, and it is relatively painless to do so, the published recipes just omit the need for and the methodologies to create the Zend de-obfuscation service and the requisite steps to get a license from Schmooze. You could easily fix that!
At this point in time you chose Zend (a commercial offering) to obfuscate your “commercial code” whether free or paid for , this is not available on ARM (raspberry for example.) so that particular deployer is SOOL, no?
As to the STFU, I had merely asked that you let the user know in full disclosure that she is no longer deploying fully “Open Source” code in her base system (which is why many of us are sad about your decisions).
Please Feel free to sell value added other commercial modules, they have their value and monetize the onward growth of Schmooze/FreePBX just be careful with the time honored base system which most assume is truly OSS.
(again, watch out for those corners, Centos is derivative of RHEL, and hence hide-bound, how many bitches about nic’s/video cards etc. that don’t work? This is not so much an issue with the above two OS’s, they just “get it” that times change and kernels get better. So other OS’s and CPU’s should surely be fully supported to your benefit also perhaps 
)
JM2CWAE