What based on the use case provided [1] would the the number one most likely edge-case and what is the most common solution to it?
Making a claim without constructive supporting points is usually not useful and worst appears you may know nothing other than how to cause problems seeding doubt.
[1] Use-Case: Create a virtual number on Twilio and whenever someone calls, a list of real numbers will be tried sequentially. You can set up opening hours. If nobody answers, a voicemail is recorded and sent to you by email.
>>knowing the Twilio API and looking at this design I think someone could build this in about a day.
I don't want to shit on the idea, but with the amount of "build this thing with twilio" content twilio puts out, the benefit of this is saving the time of setting something similar up for yourself.
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to debate buy vs. build. Although if I was going to buy there are much more robust services also built on-top of Twilio.
Just the op asked "what makes this different" and I was pointing out that the barrier of entry is very low.
With that said, if you already know the Twilio API and you already know AWS Lambda + API Gateway + DynamoDB it might be worth it to build because:
1. It would be extensible for your needs.
2. It would be a heck of a lot of fun if you enjoy that sort of thing.
Edit: I can speak to point #2 personally. I have done it. It is a lot of fun... especially for a developer who usually lives in a web browser... to be able to call a phone number and hear the result of your code. It is very satisfying. Much like building an Alexa skill is or finally getting that LED display to light up on your breadboard and print something.
>> It is a lot of fun... especially for a developer who usually lives in a web browser... to be able to call a phone number and hear the result of your code.
That really is the key. I've built some stuff with twilio simply because the delivery method of my code is somewhat unique.
You control the number of Google Voice and it has the same features too and is free. Clearly if you wanted to use Twillio platform with the same number there are things Google Voice could not do, but as is, I don't see the difference. What is the difference?
I don't live in the US, so Google Voice is not available, and I don't know much about it. Using Twilio seems right to me, because it's basically a low level phone number provider, you don't feel that locked.
