It's that "Faxes" are //exempt//, they are, by far: * Obsolete
* Insecure (no encryption in transit)
* Insecure (no recipient validation)
* Insecure (no validation of sender or data integrity)
* Horrid quality (200, maybe 300, DPI, monochrome)
* Like PTSN interlinked phones, fairly ubiquitous.
Sadly, that last line item there is why they still exist.The exempt status also precludes any real attempt at security which makes 'fax the thing' quick and easy for untrained end users. Fire, and forget until someone pokes you about a failed fax, or even claim you tried and just assume gremlins ate all record of the first (never happened) actions. There's also not a /ubiquitous/ replacement. The mere cost of telephone calls and duration makes blindly trying to fax out spam that way not-cost-effective (plus the negotiation of fax technology inhibits just recording a dumb audio file to play against VoIP lines). Email is practically free, but HORRENDOUS for file transfers, and at any corporation where data retention is required for legal discovery holding on to EVERY file transferred forever is hell. While some better standards do exist, they aren't ubiquitous and often require 'non standard' software (mostly because Microsoft is highly allergic to any protocols/formats not invented by them). Also, it needs to be part of the /default/ OS install. It would be really great if Windows Explorer (the desktop shell) understood SFTP (SSH file transfer). |