Software Request...

LoLth

Hi, I'm looking for a free or cheap piece of software that will send faxes via email. I know there are a lot of products out there but the impression I get is that they convert the email and then make a phone call to the fax machine. A bit pointless if you have ADSL.

Preferably I'd like a piece of software to run over a network, maybe as a service on an NT or 2k server, pick up a fax (whether it be in the form of name@faxnumber.xxxxx format or "printed" to a fax printer driver - along the lines of Tobit faxware). This service would then send a copy of the fax to a fax machine *without* dialling a new numebr, it would connect from the internet.

anyone know if this is out there.

(and yes, I have tried google already. mainly overpriced software that still makes a seperate call or email to fax "services" that end up costing the same as a normal fax amchine).

thanks,

NorthernScally

You could try www.cnet.com and go to their download page, enter a brief description of what you are looking for. Don't know if there will be any, but it may be worth a try.

Inspector Gadget

Unless I'm greatly mistaken, what you're looking for isn't really possible, because:

1. Facsimile technology is an analogue, rather than digital, system... in other words, chalk and cheese.
2. For your message to reach someone on a fax machine, it would eventually have to enter the phone network. This would mean that at some point between you sending the fax and it reaching its final destination, someone, somewhere, would have to take your "digital fax" (so to speak) and send it via a fax modem, over a phone line, to your intended target. As this which would entail a (chargeable) call being made from somewhere, who in their right mind would offer someone a free service where they end up footing someone else's bills, especially in the case of faxes with non-national destinations?

Basically, to send a fax, someone will have to, well, send a fax. Not trying to be a smart-arse (though I fear I may be succeeding at this point) it will eventually be necessary for someone (or, more to the point, perhaps, some computer) to get onto the PSTN, dial up, and shovel the data to the target fax machine the old-fashioned way, and as a rule this costs money.

There are companies, such as eFax, IIRC, that will deliver faxes for you by carrying the fax digitally (like an e-mail) for most of the journey (esp. in the case of international faxes) over the internet, and only get onto the PSTN at the destination country or area code, reducing the overall cost of the transmission. There are additional complications with return faxes (I'm not sure how these are handled as I've never used such a service) but they may, perhaps, prove cheaper than running a phone line yourself with a fax modem or fax machine hanging off it. Significantly, though, you'll have to set your systems up with their "fax drivers" and it will cost per fax.

(If you want something cheap to act as a fax server, look at HylaFAX). This can be free to set up as a "fax server" (so to speak), but you'll still incur phone charges.

HTH,
Gadget

LoLth

thanks gadget. I pretty much thought that.

Just posted up here as a last resort.

anyone else interested in faxware might want to try:

http://www.ourfax.com/
....... free but with adware.

or

http://www.tpc.int/clients/index.html
not free but the general idea is well explained.


downloadable server programs (well... buyable)

http://www.electrasoft.com/
crap website, software is $59.99, makes you think....



http://www.omtool.com/products/genifax.cfm
seems to be the nicest of the three



http://www.protonet.com/efax/ordering.htm
not too sure about this one.