Fax for the memory

The first commercially available digital fax machine was the Dacom Rapidfax first sold in the1960s. It used digital data compression technology that was initially developed by the Lockheed company for efficient transmission of digital images from satellites.

Nowadays in the UK, most fax machines can be found in office cupboards, attics and junk shops. But according the news this week the fax is thriving in Japan.

Calligraphy is respected art in Japan and many professionals write letters by hand rather than type them.

Email is often perceived as a characterless means of communication, if you'll forgive the pun.

Almost 90% of Japanese businessmen surveysayer entry say that a fax machine is a vital business tool.



The majority of job applications and CVs are handwritten because Japanese employers like to judge applicants' personalities from their handwriting.

Could you imagine that in the UK, where many school leavers are unable to write decent English. Text speak is even used in GCSE exams I'm told.

So I dug my old fax machine out, with plans to fax rather than post letters. The cost of UK post is a real disincentive to the art of letter writing.

Two problems:-
- You can't get the thermal paper any more.
- Hardly anyone has a fax. They're all in other cupboards or attics.