Internet Faxing

Perhaps by allowing comments on this post, I will distract the lewd picture comment spammers from the earlier posts that they really seem to like.

I'm looking for an alternative to buying a home fax machine. I hate the idea of having one, since I tend to think that faxes are the technological equivalent of the missing link: they have a role, at a particular time, but that role is not one that will evolve successfully.

I've checked out a few of the internet-based services like jFax and eFax, but I don't want to pay what I consider their exorbitant monthly rates ($15.00/month and $12.95/month, respectively). I've also checked out Amazon.com reviews of Symantec's WinFax Pro, which weren't exactly glowing, downloaded the trial version of BVRP's Fax Tools eXPert (a bloated mess of a program, but it may be the best option as of right now), and looked at a number of freeware applications.

What I'm looking for, I think, would be a per use (non subscription) internet fax service. For example, why isn't the UPS Store (which has quite possibly the most useless website on earth, unless I wanted to become a franchisee) or FedEx/Kinkos offering some sort of web-based services like internet faxing?

Any thoughts on your part? Do any of you use a particular fax/telephony get-up to eschew the home fax problem, or am I just going to have to bite the bullet and buy what I think is a useless product?

Comments

[Neo Tokyo Times]

I use winfax to send faxes, and it's fine. the only things I've ever needed to fax were documents I had saved to my hard drive, and I could easily print/fax them.

I do own a fax/scanner/inkjet combo printer, and it's a good solution too. I just keep it unplugged until that rare (one) time I need to use it.

[Courtney]

We just run down to officemaxofficedepot/staples or pop in at somebody's office. However, if I had the money right now, I'd buy a home scanner/printer/copier/fax. They're not that expensive, replace multitudes of home office junk, and are now reliable enough to successfully replace all those individual pieces. HP makes some particularly fine, inexpensive-ish ones.

[win]

We have a 4 year old HP print/scan/copy/fax and it does em all pretty well. I'm sure it's better and cheaper now.

[win]

We have a 4 year old HP print/scan/copy/fax and it does em all pretty well. I'm sure it's better and cheaper now.

[Jonathan Cohn]

Windows xp and previous versions have built in fax software that works just fine. I use it every day to send and receive faxes from my laptop. When I am not at work I unplug my laptop and plug a faxbox into my faxline. This box stores incoming faxes in memory until I hook my laptop up in the morning. Try windows native fax software first.

jmc

jmc@REMOVETHISbyu.edu

[TPB, Esq.]

I've not had luck with the MS native fax software. So far only Fax Tools eXPert has been successful. My complaint with the actual physical fax isn't so much the object's cost as it is the physical space taken up by the fax. I hate having another damn appliance sitting on or near my desk. Having a photo scanner, printer, sound system, and DishTV system is more than enough.

[Courtney]

http://www.savetz.com/fax/

[alli]

Though dated, physical fax machines are by far the cheapest way to go. They save you time and energy, and most with a telephone/fax auto switch are under $100 - which is cheaper then you would pay with any subscription. Mailboxes etc., etc. make a killing off their physical faxes. $2 per page. I don't know why they would make a web based version when they make so much more off the people who go there. No one would pay that over the web.