Mark Spencer Speaks to the Toronto Asterisk/Linux Users Groups

Asterisk

Source: SineApps

Mark Spencer, President of Digium and creator of GAIM, Asterisk and DUNDi, spoke on Thursday, April 21 to a nicely-filled room of Toronto Area Asterisk and Linux enthusiasts. Jon "maddog" Hall, Director of Linux International, and Ed Guy, Chief Scientist at Pulver.com, also joined us.

Knowing that Mark was going to be in Toronto as a keynote speaker at VON Canada, the Toronto Asterisk Users Group invited him to hang out with us at our favorite spot for drinks and conversation. As interest in Mark's visit grew, it quickly became clear that we were going to need a better venue. A lecture hall at the University of Toronto was rented for the occasion, and we ended up with over 100 people attending the event.

Mark briefly spoke about the history of Asterisk, where Asterisk is now, and the value of the Asterisk community. After his talk, the floor was opened to a lively (and lengthy!) Q&A session.

As a result of this interest from the community, we have decided to bring a bit more formal structure to the Toronto Asterisk Users Group. We will be developing a website over the next few months, and will be organizing more events that are of interest to the community. Some of the concepts we have been contemplating are:
Asterisk bake-off for new users--bring an old PC, and roll your own PBX!

An obfuscated dial-plan contest

Most creative (or oddest) Asterisk implementation
Stay tuned--there'll be more to come from TAUG!

(Why not start an AUG (pronounced "og") in your area?)