moyman@ECN.PURDUE.EDU (James M Moya) (11/01/90)
I asked the following a ways back and didn't get much response so here it goes again. I would appreciate *any* information on Networkable FAX modems and associated software. By "networkable" I mean I want to set it up in one place (zone) and let everyone on the network be able to send and recieve using the one FAXmodem. Please let me know of your set-ups, hang-ups, etc.. whether you use it along with MS Mail or QuickMail, etc...Thankin --moya --- Mike Moya Macintosh Systems and Networking Engineering Computer Network, Purdue University moyman@ecn.purdue.edu or pur-ee!moyman
rbrink@hubcap.clemson.edu (Rick Brink) (11/02/90)
From article <9010311908.AA08493@aquarium.ecn.purdue.edu>, by moyman@ECN.PURDUE.EDU (James M Moya): > I asked the following a ways back and didn't get much response so here it > goes again. I would appreciate *any* information on Networkable FAX modems > and associated software. By "networkable" I mean I want to set it up in > one place (zone) and let everyone on the network be able to send and > recieve using the one FAXmodem. Please let me know of your set-ups, > hang-ups, etc.. whether you use it along with MS Mail or QuickMail, > etc...Thankin We bought a FlexFax Modem about 5 months ago. Although generally pleased, it's use has been less than trouble free. 1) It uses BackFax to send and receive in the background under multifinder on the mac direct connected to it. That is pretty standard. 2) It is "networkable" by using MicroSoft Mail or QuickMail to send files to the server, which then routes the fax out. Things we don't like: 1) Faxes received are viewed as image files, and can only be printed from within the FlexFax software, or opened within a page layout program or graphics program. If you want to incorporate something into a simple Word doc, you have to go the extra step and process the fax 1st. 2) Although it is multifinder compatable, many applications that take liberties with memory usage (most Microsoft applications) often cause crashes and freezes when sending or receiving a fax. 3) It is driven by inits. Think of any good init/CDEV and it seems to conflict at times with BackFax, Onetimer or MailSaver init that the FlexFax system relies on. 4) We don't use a mail program currently, still deciding between MSMail and QuickMail (Our campus is divided between the 2, and different factions are pulling us both ways), so we can't really shair it. I don't know if the "shair" part of the system works at all..... Conclusions: We have a $6000 Cannon fax with a laserprinter used in another dept. We relied on it before we got the modem, and after 5 months, we are back to relying on shairing the Cannon again. It's only when something confidential or financial is being sent, that the prime user bothers to mess with the modem. The $500 we spent on it would have been better spent on a conventional desktop fax box. I realize the pricing is better now, some FaxModems are in the $300 range. If I were considering it again, I would only get a fax modem if I were also in need of a conventional modem. And what good is a 9600 baud modem these days anyway. Unless you are calling up another "Person", no one supports 9600b anyway. My complaints are not about the product we purchased, but about the way we have been able to integrate it into our office. I'm worry everytime a new sys release comes out, will the inits work with the new stuff? Buyers beware.
geo@syd.dit.CSIRO.AU (George Bray) (11/08/90)
I've used the FlexFAX as a standalone device and shared through a QuickMail network. At the outset I must say that the current technology is useless to receive Fax - unless you have lots of memory, storage and screen space it's just not worth the investment. Sending, however, is workable. I used the BackFAX software with the Flexfax. It's a Chooser driver that you print to. The QuickDraw is converted to a raster image (you have to wait for this to happen) and then the BackFAX INIT sends it to the faxmodem in the background. Networking it is a little more complex. We have a QuickMail server here, with Telecom bridges in use all day. Originally I thought it would be nice to replace the modem on the server with the faxmodem - no way. The BackFAX INIT and QuickMail both want full use of the serial port. It says in the manual that you can run the QM Administrator in the background on a workstation, but I found too much grunt was taken away from my daily work and it conflicted with my other INITs. It crashed and burned. A separate machine is required - I used an old MacPlus with 2.5Mb RAM and a 20Mb disk. It runs QuickMail Administrator and the BacFAX INIT and handles only the FAX QuickMail gateway. Want to send a FAX from PageMaker? Just print the document to the MailSender Icon in the Chooser. The document is converted and the QuickMail addressing dialog is presented. You can use existing QuickMail addresses, lookup nameservers or create new adresses. It's regular old QuickMail. The BackFAX software supports a cover page, which you can create from any application. In the above example, your fax would be preceded by your cover page and a QuickMail Memo. Want to fax the output of multiple applications - no sweat. Just print to the MailSaver icon, and append to a file. (The format of the file is GLUE so others can read it on screen with the GLUE reader). Enclose your file in a QuickMail message. There's a problem with multiple addresses though. Every recipient is listed on the QuickMail form, so your fax newsletter mailing list looks a bit messy. In summary: A dedicated machine is required for network use. It integrates with QuickMail pretty well (using the FAXGATE software). There is an MSmail version too. Dont even think about receiving fax in production volume. Each page is around 800K and converting it from bitmap to display window takes 50 seconds on an 8Mb IIci. Most Faxmodems are pretty generic - they provide 9600bps fax and 2400bps data - it's the software that matters and Solutions seem to be ahead of the pack with BackFAX and FaxGate. I hear too that Abaton have some nice software. If you're waiting for the "nice" network fax, keep waiting. This technology is difficult to setup and keep running and the QuickMail addressing interface is less than friendly, especially when you add fax to it. IMHO network fax should look just like a LaserWriter. Postscipt fax - now there's an idea. -- George Bray > Earthnet: peg:geo Telephone: +61-2-411-3222 Avante Systems > AppleLink: AUST0150 Facsimile: +61-2-415-2212 27 Albert Avenue > CompuServe: 72711,253 QuickMail: +61-2-415-2210 Chatswood 2067 AUSTRALIA > Internet: geo@syd.dit.CSIRO.AU Share and Enjoy