FAX Machine

[crinkles]

borther makes good fax machines. I love faxes... sending paper down the telephone wire... much more speccy than the internet.

edit - we use them at work, sometimes to get authorisations to get going with work where we need a signature, according to law an electrnoc sig is not good enough, a fax signature must be sent.

 

[LS2JSTS]

Maybe I'm missing something here...help me to understand. What exactly is it that you guys are doing with an actual fax machine that I cant do online with my fax service?

I have even more options than a fax machine has, with no paper or supply expenses. My customers love it because they get a 800 number to fax to. I can send a fax to another fax number, a email address or to another fax service. It has added benefits, not less....what am I missing?

Sorry to go off topic, but my curiosity is peaked, why dont you guys like/use online fax services? I've been using fax machines since the thermal days, and once I went online I never looked back.

FWIW, I like Brother stuff as well, my Brother all in one was cheap and has held up well. I want to try one of the new Kodak all in ones next, they are very cheap and the ink cartridges are dirt cheap compared to HP.

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Maybe I'm missing something here...help me to understand. What exactly is it that you guys are doing with an actual fax machine that I cant do online with my fax service?


The ability to tape a few sheets of black construction paper together, start them faxing and then tape the ends together to make an endless loop!

That was one of the best dirty tricks to play on businesses that would spam faxes left and right... especially back in the bad old days of thermal machines.

IMO the fax machine needs to die a fast and painful death; it's an ancient relic of the 1970s that's nothing but a constant annoyance to me. If you can't accept an emailed PDF, I'd rather mail you a paper document than send a shoddy copy through the phone line.

 

[LS2JSTS]

Originally Posted By: scurvy
Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Maybe I'm missing something here...help me to understand. What exactly is it that you guys are doing with an actual fax machine that I cant do online with my fax service?


The ability to tape a few sheets of black construction paper together, start them faxing and then tape the ends together to make an endless loop!

LOL...Agreed.

And one of the things that I like about online fax services. Often a client will send a huge file with many pages to my fax number. Now, do I need all those pages or just a small number of them that contain the info I actually need...I like being able to pick and choose what actually gets printed and what gets relegated to electronic storage. Spam away...I'll just delete it before it ever gets to the printer!

 

[javacontour]

I did this many times to those who would send spam faxes. I had a page with reverse print. I.E. the background was black and the letters in white saying do not fax me, and I'd run it in a loop, using up a bunch of their paper and toner. My employer's cost was the cost of a long distance call.

Originally Posted By: scurvy
Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Maybe I'm missing something here...help me to understand. What exactly is it that you guys are doing with an actual fax machine that I cant do online with my fax service?


The ability to tape a few sheets of black construction paper together, start them faxing and then tape the ends together to make an endless loop!

That was one of the best dirty tricks to play on businesses that would spam faxes left and right... especially back in the bad old days of thermal machines.

IMO the fax machine needs to die a fast and painful death; it's an ancient relic of the 1970s that's nothing but a constant annoyance to me. If you can't accept an emailed PDF, I'd rather mail you a paper document than send a shoddy copy through the phone line.

 

[javacontour]

I had to fax a credit union a copy of the title for the pickup I'm selling for my MIL. No big deal, but it would have been easier for me to scan it and e-mail them a PDF.

E-mail is less secure since it goes over a public network.

The best solution would be to have a secure webpage where one can upload documents for such transactions.

I can see some cases, especially with loan information, where sending an e-mail with the documents is not secure enough. Sending a fax, or uploading to a secured web server is a more (but not completely) secure option, especially when compared to e-mail.

I would not send anything in an e-mail that I wouldn't write on the back of a post card and mail. E-mail is about as secure as a post card. In other words, anybody along the path can read your e-mail and the data contained within.

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
E-mail is less secure since it goes over a public network.


Fax machines send information over (IMO) the most insecure public electronic network available - phone lines!

 

[javacontour]

Yes, but phone lines are typically point to point. E-mail get stored, even for a short period of time on servers as it goes from one place to another.

Voice doesn't, so it's less likely to be lying around on some server in the path.

Sure, someone can tap the line at either end and fish out the information. But I think that's far less likely than someone finding an e-mail still lying on a mail gateway between the sender and receiver.

E-mail is a store and forward system, so it gets stored on the mail gateways for a time until it's forwarded to the next gateway. So it's like letting your letter carrier read the postcard as it goes from sender to receiver.

I'm not saying that a fax is the ultimate in security, but it's a lot more secure than sending something via an e-mail due to the differences I've described above.

 

[LS2JSTS]

Originally Posted By: javacontour


The best solution would be to have a secure webpage where one can upload documents for such transactions.

I can see some cases, especially with loan information, where sending an e-mail with the documents is not secure enough. Sending a fax, or uploading to a secured web server is a more (but not completely) secure option, especially when compared to e-mail.



Do you know if that is how online Fax Services work. I know when I use mine, I log onto a website control center. From there I can scan or add pdf's as attachments and send to any fax number or email address. I assume this is the type of secure webpage you are talking about? I'll have to look into it.

FWIW, as far as loan and private financial type info. I've been getting and sending full loan apps/credit reports/appraisals/purchase agreements with very sensitive info attached for years. Both via email and fax. From the thermal days up until today, people would be amazed at how loosely their vital information gets slung around the internets! Most of my clients with legal council add the usual disclosure disclaimer somewhere on the fax or email, but other than that, I see little concern for security. Other than that, from what I can tell, it all hinges on the honesty of those involved who get the data. Pretty iffy at best, I guess.

 

[javacontour]

It always hinges on the honesty of those getting the data. Why do you think banks and other financial companies want folks with clean criminal and credit records?

I was reading a few months ago about how a woman was fired from an accounting job because she had really bad credit. Yet it's a well known requirement that one has to have their own house in order in order to be considered trustworthy to deal with the finances of others.

Ditto for DoD jobs. Security clearances can hinge on both your credit report and criminal record. So keep your nose clean and you improve your odds of being hired.

I really don't want convicted felons processing my loan application, or having access to my bank or brokerage accounts.

I understand stuff can lie on a fax machine, or printer. One simply adds exposure in my view if it also sits on the disks of mail gateways along the path the e-mail takes to it's final destination.

 

[PandaBear]

Go on Craigslist to get a used one that people don't want anymore. Or combine your printer need and get an all-in-one laser unit with low toner cost (Brother seems to be the best in this).