There is a wide variety of fax computer software that comes with specialized tools and features that users can choose from. When choosing a specific fax computer software, it is important to read the specifications it requires and to ensure the computer on which it will be installed meets those specifications. Possible examples of requirements can include processor type, speed, and available memory. Software can be bought at a store and installed via CD-ROM, or downloaded from the Internet and installed via the computer. Fax machines can be connected to phone lines or the Internet to send and receive faxes.
Software for faxing is much more common and is replacing the standard fax machine. Older forms of faxing used much more equipment, as did early versions of fax computer software in computers. An old system like this would be comprised of a computer, a modem, and a small network of computers within a business or office. The computer would receive a fax and store it in non-text form, where the fax would be converted later to text format by the fax computer software. After determining the fax document’s destination, which was most likely a printer or other computer, the software would send the document to be printed or received by its respective device location.
Versions of fax computer software can be found online and downloaded over the Internet. Some fax computer software applications have an interface that allows documents to be scanned by a printer and sent through the Internet. They also do not always require downloading or installation and may instead simply require a membership to a website. These types of software, however, may differ in the format by which a document is sent and received. Some fax computer software sends or receives the faxes in .doc form while others will send or receive the files as a PDF or TIFF.
The type of fax computer software that is downloaded may also differ in the way that it sends faxes over the Internet. Some software applications may send the fax through an e-mail account while others will simply send the fax through the website. Additionally, the software may have the user download an application to view, receive, and send faxes and to also print directly to a printer from the user’s computer. Some software, especially if it is a paid service, will assign a fax number to the user for anyone to send a fax to, while free services will likely allow faxing only between users.