|
[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]
Hey,
I forgot about this stuff - should interest some of you !! --
Back in the early '80's, IBM came out with a telephony card for their AT
(maybe the XT's also) style PC's - 16 bit. Software allowed you to set up
a computerized answering system for multiple users. These users could then
dial in and get their personal messages. I believe the software also
allowed for messages to be forwarded after they had been left. They also
came out with a speech board to complement the telephony card. Software
from Speech Plus allowed for text-to-speech, and program control. Software
and hardware was somewhere between $2-3000 back then. I often thought
about some application in Linux, and will probably require some
software/hardware expertise. It's up for grabs!!
Also, one of the leaders in PC Telephony products at that time was a
company called Natural MicroSystems - was ahead of Dragon Software in the
telephony field at the time. I know that they signed a big deal with NCR
and BT way back then. Anyway getting away from history, The software
allowed for scripts to be developed to answer the 'phone - very powerful.
Also had libraries so that you could write "C" programs to execute all of
the functions that the canned software performed - and more. In fact, in
1985/6 I developed a "C" (Lattice - pre -2.0) data collection system so
that national sales forces could enter data into computer systems via the
telephone keypad after verbal prompts. This is up for grabs also!!
Sorry for the long-winded speel, but these two could prove to be neat toys
under Linux - and maybe even lead to some neat software being developed. I
just hate to chuck things away!!
If this posting offends anyone - my apologies.
Dave E.
dedwards@technologist.com
_______________________________________________
Plug maillist - Plug@lists.nothinbut.net
http://lists.nothinbut.net/mail/listinfo/plug
|
|