3D Fax
Encyclopedia
3D Fax was an early Windows
program from InfoImaging Technologies. It allowed binary file
s to be transmitted via fax
. Basically, the software would encode the file into a printed image to be sent to the recipient's fax machine. The recipient would then scan
the transmitted image and use 3D Fax to decode it back to its original binary form.
Its functionality was limited. Although being able to send a binary file via fax is a novel idea, it has three main problems:
The advent of an almost ubiquitous Internet
, along with email
, made the limited usefulness of this software obsolete.
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
program from InfoImaging Technologies. It allowed binary file
Binary file
A binary file is a computer file which may contain any type of data, encoded in binary form for computer storage and processing purposes; for example, computer document files containing formatted text...
s to be transmitted via fax
Fax
Fax , sometimes called telecopying, is the telephonic transmission of scanned printed material , normally to a telephone number connected to a printer or other output device...
. Basically, the software would encode the file into a printed image to be sent to the recipient's fax machine. The recipient would then scan
Image scanner
In computing, an image scanner—often abbreviated to just scanner—is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting, or an object, and converts it to a digital image. Common examples found in offices are variations of the desktop scanner where the document is placed on a glass...
the transmitted image and use 3D Fax to decode it back to its original binary form.
Its functionality was limited. Although being able to send a binary file via fax is a novel idea, it has three main problems:
- The size of the binary file is limited to what is possible to encode on a letter-sized piece of paper, so sending anything over 50 kb would require many sheets of paper to print, fax, and scan.
- The sending party requires an adequate printer and a fax machine or fax-modem, and the receiving party requires a scanner and fax (although a fax-modem on both sides would eliminate the printer and scanner requirements). Both also need access to a phone line, to send their fax.
- Most binary files need 100% reliability on the transport. If the binary file is an executableExecutableIn computing, an executable file causes a computer "to perform indicated tasks according to encoded instructions," as opposed to a data file that must be parsed by a program to be meaningful. These instructions are traditionally machine code instructions for a physical CPU...
, for example, it needs to be decoded perfectly by the receiving party, or the file simply won't work. This is usually impossible with normal fax transmissions, since they normally have noise and are not 100% copies of the originals. Adding a scan to the process only worsens matters.
The advent of an almost ubiquitous Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, along with email
Email
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
, made the limited usefulness of this software obsolete.