Fax Technology Refuses To Die
from the still-going... dept
Despite the rapid rise of digital technologies for communicating, the fax machine is still a major part of business communications. I still have a fax machine next to my desk. It's still easier for handling documents that require signatures and it's a one-step process rather than the two steps of "scan and email" that the article suggest is a better process. If scanners include an "email this to" function that somehow communicates with your email client, then I could finally stop using the fax machine. However, many companies still give out fax numbers rather than an email address you can send a document to. In fact, as the article points out, fax numbers still receive prominent placement on corporate documents and business cards.
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Fax machines also receive less spam. Not zero, but less. Local spammers typically have a smaller niche market; they are directly identifyable, accountable and approachable. Distant spammers typically don't want to spend the money to contact a fax machine by long-distance.
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My $79 Canon scanner does have an "email this document" button on the scanner. It scans the doc on the scanner, converts it to a gif or jpg, and if you are using the Canon software, can automatically fire up your MAPI compliant email program and create a new email.
I don't use a MAPI complaint email client so I never actually used the feature.
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The scanner also has a copy button that automatically directs the output of the scan to your printer. All for $79. Amazing...
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Scanning Issues
The biggesst problem with this article is that shared fax machines are cheap and easy to use. I have a scanner hooked up to my computer in my home office, works great as a fax/email. But in the office, there is 1 cheap fax machine for all 100 users. It's easier to fax then scan to a shared drive then go to my email program and send. And a lot cheaper then providing a 100 dedicated scanners.
Maybe that's a new product idea! A scan "thin client". A scanner with an LCD display with keypad that takes sender's and receiver's email adderess then scans and sends. No royalities necessary if anyone develop's this, just let me be the beta tester.
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