Open Source Telephony!
April 29th, 2008Many, many people know that the software the powers Wikipedia is called MediaWiki, and it is in fact an open-source software that anyone can use. What is not known however, is that the Wikimedia Foundation is now also using open-source software for our telephone system. This last weekend, we rolled out our Asterisk 1.4 installation. Asterisk is an open-source software managed by Digium. By utilizing open-source software to power our telephone system, the Foundation is taking another step in the direction of free and open software use.
Rob Halsell, IT Manager & Systems Administrator
April 30th, 2008 at 12:07 am
First of all, I would like to have parameters for calling the Office. It would be generally good to allow people to reach the Office not only via telephone line, but also via Internet. It is especially useful for us, who need to make an international call to reach the Office.
The other issue is related to building the WM infrastructure. It would be really good to see SER/OpenSER installed at the main server farm, which may be used as a SIP router by chapters and the Office. It would allow people from the Office and the chapters to hold meetings much more often. Even if some chapters don’t have their own good Internet connection, they may find some place with a good connection for such purposes.
Also, it would be good to make a possibility for making calls to cell phones at the places where offices exist. Of course, not as an option in which anyone may call anyone from the Office, but to allow to the people from chapters to make calls when it is needed.
And, of course, I was talking about a classical VoIP concepts
(BTW, I was working for four years as a VoIP admin and I am willing to help in the implementation of VoIP infrastructure for Wikimedia.)
May 9th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
That’s great Rob,
I’m with Milos,
I wonder if we could now start looking at taking the next step and attempt to do for WMF’s global groups’ comms what a wiki has done for their info. i.e. begin to develop a global multi media network. This really needs (I think) a collaboration between the WMF and someone with this kind of idea. http://www.robertsonfoundation.com/?page_id=4. although for global groups (chapters, teams, Advisory, etc) rather than Unis.
The aim is to put some tools together which start in the kind of Open Source functionality (and SIP standards) which help to produce Wikipedia Weekly, but can be extended to support the regular communications of global groups. The long term aim to develop a global interactive R&D channel. WMF’s projects already provide its skinny framework.
Just going through the job descriptions for “online fundraisers” I see there’s a bit of confusion distinguishing between “major gifts”, “Community” and “R&D”. So when your San Fran group gets down to finalizing on a collaborative global team would you let us know? There are some other WMF R&D buddies who I’m pretty sure would be interested in (joint) R&Ding this (I’m calling it) Universal Learning Network.