When I first started working for the state, we had a simple FAX machine. You just put the document that you wanted to FAX in the machine, dialed the number and waited for the other end to answer. When the other end answered, the machine fed the document though it and FAXed the information. If the other end was busy, you heard the busy signal and tried again later.

The machine that we have now requires us to feed the document into it before you even put in the number to call. Then, once you put in the number to call, it dials the number and attempts to FAX the document. If it is successful, it will print out a completion notice. If it is not successful, it will hold the document in its memory and try the call four more times over a set period of time. If it fails after the 5th attempt, it will print out a notice and dump the document from its memory.

Now, the problem with this is that the FAX machine is a community machine used by about 30 people. And when that completed/failed notice is printed, it might be discarded or misplaced by someone else. So, this means that you can either load the document and check back later and hope that you receive the completed/failed notice or you can wait by the FAX machine for that notice to arrive which, of course, wastes time.

Isn’t technology wonderful!