{
  "id": 3913994,
  "title": "Exec couldn’t identify a photocopier, which made for a fax-inating tech support call",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/exec-couldnt-identify-a-photocopier-which-made-for-a-fax-inating-tech-3913994",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-28T06:37:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Register",
    "slug": "the-register",
    "url": "https://www.theregister.com/personal-tech/2026/08/28/exec-couldnt-identify-a-photocopier-which-made-for-a-fax-inating-tech-support-call/5292838"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "At the end of the workweek, it can be tempting to call tech support, but The Register aims to provide amusement through its On Call column. This week, the reader \"Orson\" shares a tech support tale that will surely bring a smile to your face. Orson, who formerly served as a Facilities Manager for a major UK food company, relates an incident that reminds him of the previous On Call article about a lawyer who struggled with italics. One morning, Orson was summoned by the Company Secretary, who was annoyed because the night before, she attempted to send an urgent fax but the fax machine failed to work. Fax machines, which once combined a low-resolution scanner, a printer, and a slow modem into a single appliance, were faster than postal service but slower than email. The user interface consisted of a numeric keypad for entering the destination fax number. Orson decided to address the problem by focusing on the person using the machine. He watched as the Company Secretary placed the document on the tray, dialed the number using the keypad, and hit Enter. When the secretary looked at Orson, her expression conveyed a desire for him to explain why technology had failed her. Orson simply pointed out that she was using the photocopier instead of the fax machine. While this mistake is foolish, it provides a great example of a quirky tech support moment in On Call. If you have a similar tale to share, you can submit your story to On Call, but The Register no longer has a fax machine.",
  "summary": "One retro numeric keypad looks much like any other to some users",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Register Science",
        "title": "Exec couldn’t identify a photocopier, which made for a fax-inating tech support call",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/exec-couldnt-identify-a-photocopier-which-made-for-a-fax-inating-tech",
        "published": "2026-08-28T06:37:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}