System for interactive control of a computer and telephone

A computer-based telephony system, comprising: a telephone set for implementing telephony functions on a telephone line, said telephone set including a serial interface for bidirectional communication of data signals; and a computer executable software application for receiving first ones of said data signals from said telephone set and in response implementing predetermined software functions, and for transmitting further ones of said data signals to said telephone set in response to a user input whereupon said telephone set implements predetermined ones of said telephony functions.