Probably 90 percent of information transmissions could be better handled by e-mail. But the fax just will not die. Even if most people do not understand the technical operation of a fax, everyone instantly understands what it does and why it is useful. People tend to put up with its built-in inefficiencies, like bad graphic quality, difficulties in transmitting and distribution after receiving. Meanwhile, the technology keeps getting better.
Many lawyers happily fax from their computer desktops by fax modems.
The first time you do this, it feels liberating. Fax modems use a computer's internal processor. Fax boards, by contrast, have a built-in microprocessor, which handles the fax much more efficiently. That is only the beginning. Mass. Using Lotus Notes' newly released Fax for Domino, incoming faxes are distributed by electronic mail.