Bits &
Bytes |
Snappy Fax Makes Faxing From Your Computer A Snap by Ms. Lin MacDoss |
If you use your computer for faxing, you're probably using the free bitware that came with your fax modem. Unfortunately, most bitware programs don't do very much except send faxes. Sure, faxing documents from a word processor is easy enough. In most cases you simply select "print to fax," enter a phone number and the fax goes. But faxing from a scanner usually requires the user to scan a document into a photo editing program, then import the saved image through a complex maze into the bitware program before it can be sent. You'd think there would be an easier way. After all, computers are supposed to be all about convenience. Actually there is, in the aptly named product Snappy Fax. With this program, faxing a paper document like a signed contract is almost as easy as using a dedicated fax machine. Simply select the "Fax Documents From Scanner" option and Snappy Fax imports the document directly from the scanner, even documents containing multiple pages. Then select the "Fax Image View" option, enter a phone number, and the fax is on the way. Need a cover sheet? No problem, as the program comes with several templates that'll let you enter your personal facts once and remember them for future use. You also have the option of adding special notes or messages to the cover sheet when you send a fax.
Snappy Fax is loaded with other useful features which Ms. MacDoss uses nearly every week. I especially like the "Scan and Print" option, which allows the user to scan a document, again allowing for multiple pages, and send it directly to the printer without having to mess with a photo editing program, effectively turning a scanner and printer into a virtual photo copier. Unlike most fax programs, Snappy Fax can also be configured to automatically print a fax once it's received.
There are other features as well. Most fax programs require that you exit the program before going online using your modem. Failure to do so will often result in a major conflict, bringing-up the dreaded "blue screen of death" and a system crash. Snappy Fax has a feature called "Advanced Call Handling," which doesn't get conflicted if you decide to use your modem for something like surfing the Net while it monitors. Obviously it's not going to receive a fax while you're online chatting with your Aunt Maltilda, since your phone line is busy, but it won't crash your system, and it'll continue monitoring as soon as you log off the Net.
Alas, Snappy Fax is not 100% perfect. This is a very complex program, developed by a small developer, and there are still a few bugs in the code. In my experience, most of these have to do with conflicts that arise when the program is configured to load automatically when you start your computer. For this reason, I recommend that users disable this feature and only open the program when it's needed. If you're using the Zone Alarm firewall utility, make certain that you've exited Snappy Fax before shutting-down your machine to avoid problems getting out of Windows.
These bugs are slowly being worked-out however. The developer upgrades the product quite frequently, and free upgrades for life are included with purchase. I check the developer's web site every month or so and if an upgrade is available I download and install it. The download only takes a few minutes, even using my dial-up connection. Technical support is handled by email or by a message board on the their web site. The few times I've needed technical support I've used the message board, and received a reply within hours of posting my issue.
Like any fax program, Snappy Fax requires that your computer has a fax modem installed before it can receive or send faxes. If your computer doesn't already have fax bitware installed, you probably don't have a fax modem, but you can find out easily enough by downloading and installing Snappy Fax and going through the set-up procedure. If your computer isn't properly equipped, the program will tell you. A fax modem can be purchased for under $35; many small computer shops will install for free if you purchase the modem from them.
A fully functional 30 day trial version of Snappy Fax can be downloaded for free from the developer's web site at http://snappysoftware.com. If you decide to keep the program, the cost is only $19.95, which includes unlimited free upgrades.
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2003 by AlternativeApproaches.com
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