Tzafrir Cohen wrote: > Hi folks > > A common wisdom here is that one should use a proper hardware phone > rather that an extra software on the user's PC. Why is that such a big > issue? >
Marketability for one. People worldwide understand the telephone paradigm. You have a handset and a box with numbers. You pick it up and dial, talk through the handset, and listen in the other end. It's simple. It's an elegant design. And everyone from 1 year olds to my 97 year old grandfather can use it. Software phones? Not so much. In fact, not even close. The additional complexity of running software on a machine ALONE would keep my grandfather and that 1 year old from using it. Headsets? Seriously? Since when have those been user-friendly OR comfortably. In essence, adherence to a software phone paradigm breaks a century of design advancement in telephone ergonomics, psychology, and reliance, and replaces it with something that's clearly just a kludgy add-on to a product which was never originally designed for the task. > One thing that bothers me with the current crop of hardware SIP phones > is that they are hopelessly properitary. > > So what would it take to build a fully-adaptable phone? > > Here are some of my thoughts. This is not anything I plan to do soon (if > at all), but I really find it strange that there aren't such phones > already. > > > == Small Quantities: > When you look at such systems it becomes aparant that you can get much > nicer prices if you buy large quanities. But this is something that will > be a problem. Not only for prototying. The fact that you're limited to a > strict hardware setting is very limiting. No mixing and matching like in > a standard PC. I'm not exactly sure how to overcome that. > This is one of the biggest reasons all the hardware phones are proprietary -- they're each written for different basic hardware. > == Platforms: > There are many embedded platforms nowadays. I assume that the relevant > application requires some non-trivial CPU power. I would exclude e.g. a > 486-based systems. My target phone should be able to handle at least two > concurrent Speex calls. Preferrebly 6 speex calls and above. > > OTOH, I can't afford a monster CoreDuo. I need a quiet system with no > fan. Thus the target CPU may be higher end VIA or Atom. Not sure about > Geode. > > There are also some interesting ARM-based boards around. I'm completely > unfamiliar with them but I suspect that they may prove to be cheaper. > > == SIP Software: > Not really sure here. There must be something close to usable already, I > guess. > > == Micro Browser: > Hell no! > > The device should have an LCD display, and the content of that display > should be programmable. Programming it using a HTML renderred is a bad > design decision. > > The device should be a good phone. It should not attempt to be a web > browser, as it will be a lousy one. > > == Handset: > I suppose that an obvious starting point for a handset is "skype phones" > such as USB handsets from yealink. Far from an optimal design, but a > driver already exists. > > > == Ease of Use: > A phone must be usable. The target device must be something my mom can > use. However that does not mean it must be easy to program. It must be > programmable and hackable. But I can live with a complicated user > interface for that. If such phones become successful and useful, better > interfaces will eventually be written. > > > Just a note here -- a complicated user interface, though you personally may be able to live with it, will pretty much ensure that the phones never become successful enough for a better one to be written. UI design is about 10% code and 90% psychology (and so FEW people who call themselves UI 'programmers' understand that). Just having a UI that can get you from point A to point B without typing in commands is NOT a UI worth making, as it will never be a UI worth using. _______________________________________________ -- Bandwidth and Colocation Provided by http://www.api-digital.com -- asterisk-users mailing list To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
