FaxMail 2.0

FaxMail is a utility to assist in preparing and sending faxes via the internet's Email-Fax gateway. This file describes how to install the program and how to use it to send faxes.

FaxMail is Copyright 1996, 1997 David Burns, Shyamal Somaroo, Matthew Davey. The program is free to individuals for private use. Commercial users please contact M. Davey at mcdavey@mrao.cam.ac.uk.

Requirements

Before installing FaxMail, check that your system contains the following components.

Installation

FaxMail uses a library directory to store the main Tcl script and a guide to the coverage of the email-fax system. Two binaries will be installed, one to check whether a particular fax number is covered, and a wrapper to call the Tcl script. To install FaxMail, proceed as follows:

  1. Unpack the tar file FaxMail-2.0.tgz and change into the FaxMail-2.0 directory:
    gunzip -c FaxMail-2.0.tgz|tar x
    cd FaxMail-2.0
  2. Edit the Makefile to specify the installation directories. You must also specify the location of the wish program and a low-level mailer such as sendmail or smail. On some systems (eg SunOS) you will need to uncomment the line to link with -lresolv.
  3. Run make:
    make

    At this point you should be able to test the program by running it from the current directory:

    ./faxmail
  4. If everything seems fine you can complete the installation by running
    make install

The Email-Fax gateway

FaxMail is simply an interface to the Internet's Email-Fax gateway. When you send your email, a central server figures out whether the desired number is covered by the system. If so, it forwards your email to a computer that has agreed to provide a service to that number and that computer places the phonecall.

As such the service is as efficient as email is. Several attempts are made at delivering faxes and in all events the outcome will ultimately reach you via email (so you don't have to guess if the fax got there or not).

As with almost everything on the internet, it is up to each individual to make sure that they use the service responsibly (So no faxing of PhD theses and the like! ). Several ps files are better sent in succession rather than in one big email. This is likely to be quicker, the only possible drawback being a replication of the cover sheet at the remote end. It is perhaps wise not to send material of a highly confidential or important nature via this means. It's up to you though.

Finally, the success of the Email-Fax gateway depends on individuals and organisations agreeing to provide the local fax service. If you have a fax-modem and would like to help, check out http://www.tpc.int/joinTPC_howto.html for details.. www.tpc.int also the starting point for information on the Email-Fax gateway.


DB.
SSS.
MCD.
15/4/97