PC Fax Gets the Message Across
Futurists of the 1970s and early ‘80s predicted that the computer would transform business communication. The term “paperless office,” the notion that businesses would use electronic data rather than printed forms and correspondence, came into vogue.
But as it turned out, computers--spewing out endless streams of printouts--have been a boon to the paper industry. And while computer-based electronic mail has made some inroads, the real hit in business communication is the facsimile, or fax, machine, with an estimated 5 million installed nationwide.
Why has the fax phenomenon overshadowed computer messaging? In most situations, fax transmissions are easier to send and receive, plus they allow the transfer of any printed or written information, including handwritten notes, newspaper clippings and even legal documents.
Over the last few years, however, a type of equipment called a fax modem has come into use that brings the worlds of the personal computer and fax machine together. Made by several companies, the fax modem is an add-in board that allows IBM-compatible PCs to emulate fax machines. It can provide a cheaper way for PC owners to set up their own fax systems.
Equipped with a fax modem, a computer can have text or graphics in its memory “printed out” on a fax machine at a remote location. If you buy a scanner for the system as well, you can transmit any printed or written material, just like a regular fax machine.
Not Easily Shared
But before buying a computer-based fax modem, you should consider whether a stand-alone fax system would be better for you. The stand-alone units--which typically cost from under $1,000 to about $3,000--are easy to set up, simple to use and come with built-in scanners and printers. They also can be installed wherever there’s a phone line and an electrical plug and can be used by anyone in the office.
A PC-based fax is more of a personal tool, not easily shared. It is installed inside or attached to a computer and is accessible only to someone who has taken the time to learn the computer’s commands. If you need to buy a scanner, that can cost as much as another $2,000.
There are some advantages, however. First, you don’t have to print out information that already is in your computer--you just use the fax software to convert it to a fax file and send it out. Second, fax modems generally come with software that can send multiple copies of a message, whereas most stand-alone machines require you to manually resend the transmission to each recipient.
Telephone Savings
A computer-based machine also can be configured to send messages automatically late at night when the phone rates are lower. This can be a major cost savings, especially if you send a lot of international messages. Finally, a fax sent directly to your PC is more protected from prying eyes. Faxes don’t come in sealed envelopes, so privacy is hard to assure.
GammaLink of Palo Alto introduced the first fax modem for the PC in 1985. The current version of that company’s “GammaFax” sells for $995 and includes software that allows the user to send and receive faxes even while the computer is running other software. The GammaFax operates at 9,600 bits per second (bps)--the same speed as the stand-alone, so-called Group 3 fax machines used in offices throughout the world.
Would-be PC fax users on a budget might turn to The Complete PC, which offers an excellent fax board for $499. Its “Complete Fax” runs at 4,800 bps, or half the speed of regular machines. I’ve been using it for about a month and the slower speed doesn’t bother me, because I use it only once or twice a week.
Heavier users, however, should definitely consider a full-speed model. The company has announced a 9,600-baud unit and expects to ship it by the end of July, according to product marketing manager Joel Borden.
Poses a Serious Problem
Like GammaFax, Complete Fax can run in the background while you’re using other software.
Apple Computer soon will release a fax modem for the Macintosh. The AppleFax Modem will sell for $699 and reportedly will come with some rudimentary software that will prevent it from running in background.
That’s a serious problem since you don’t always know when a fax is coming. If your Mac is busy doing something else, you’ll miss the fax.
To solve that problem, Solutions Inc. of Montpelier, Vt., is developing BackFax software ($245) that will allow the Mac to send and receive faxes as a background task.
Need for Backup
BackFax also will make it possible to send a fax by using Apple’s standard print commands. It’s like turning the receiver’s fax machine into a remote printer. Best of all, it maintains the Mac’s “what you see is what you get” feature so you can send drawings, graphs or letters that look just as they do on your screen.
Complete PC’s Joel Borden as well as George Mount, product manager for GammaLink, acknowledge that their equipment should not be used as a company’s only fax machine, unless it’s for home use or a very small business with just an occasional need for a fax. In fact, both companies, even though they manufacture fax boards, use stand-alone faxes as their main units for receiving faxes from the public.
But for the occasional user, including people who sometimes work at home and need to get information from the office, a computer-based system can be an economical solution.
Computer File welcomes readers’ comments but regrets that the authors cannot respond individually to letters. Write to Lawrence J. Magid, 3235 Kifer Road, Suite 100, Santa Clara, Calif. 95051, or contact the L. Magid account on the MCI electronic mail system.
