Re: flexfax: SuSE 6.3, latest Hylafax and SupraFax288

[Nico Kadel-Garcia <raoul@cirl.meei.harvard.edu>]

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On Mon, 17 Jan 2000, Aristedes Maniatis wrote:

> on 16/1/2000 11:04 pm, Iain Stevenson at iain@iainstevenson.com wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Ari,
> > 
> > The modem must be the prime suspect.  I run Comunigate on a Mac 6100/66 - it
> > never did work properly with a USR Sportster modem.  It used to keep failing
> > to recognise that it had succeeded in sending a fax.  Using the same modem
> > with Hylafax was a complete disaster.  So, Communigate seems to be more
> > tolerant of modem problems than the base install of Hylafax.
> 
> Surely this just means that fax software should (ideally) be more tolerant
> of different modems. I feel that many people are turned off the whole
> concept of faxing through software due to the number of problems that arise,
> whether it be because of badly implemented modems or too fussy software.

True. It is unfortunately difficult to write robust software for modems:
the modem manufacturers tend to ship their own software and not test with
others so noncompliant modems are *EXTREMELY* common, and the people who
really understand how to write configuration files to fix wackiness by
manufacturers do not have the modems in hand, and for freeware like
HylaFAX they have day jobs.

> Personally I can't wait till the current concept of faxing goes away and is
> replaced by something a little more robust (like an IP based transmission).

I agree! This was part of what PDF was written for, but HP's deliberate
stranglehold on the protocol and lack of cheap PDF editing tools has
crippled the market.

> > Your best bet is probably to buy an old Multitech modem like I did - it works
> > better with Hylafax and Communigate!
> 
> I think I have one floating around. I'll give it a go and see what happens.

Even a Rockwell like a 14.4 Zoom can work with the configuration
settings for the rockwell modems, despite the undocumented bugs that
Zoom never acknowledged....

			Nico Kadel-Garcia
			Senior Engineer, CIRL 
			Mass. Eye and Ear Infirmary
			raoul@cirl.meei.harvard.edu

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