{
  "id": 3985160,
  "title": "On Call: Exec couldn’t identify a photocopier, which made for a fax-inating tech support call",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/on-call-exec-couldnt-identify-a-photocopier-which-made-for-a-fax",
  "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/on-call-exec-couldnt-identify-a-photocopier-which-made-for-a-fax-inating-tech-support-call/5292838"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "This week's installment of On Call features a reader known as \"Orson,\" who shared a particularly amusing tech support story. Orson, formerly a Facilities Manager at a major UK food company, recalled an incident from years prior that reminded him of a previous On Call column about a lawyer without knowledge of italics.\n\nOne morning, Orson arrived at work to find his Company Secretary in distress. She had attempted to send an urgent fax the previous night, but the fax machine had failed to function. Determined to help, Orson followed the Secretary's actions, observing as she placed a document on the in-tray, entered the fax number using a numeric keypad, and hit Enter.\n\nUpon completing these steps, the Secretary turned to Orson, clearly seeking his explanation for the failure of the fax machine and the condition of the equipment. Orson gently informed her that she had mistakenly used the photocopier instead of the fax machine.\n\nWhile the presence of multi-function printers (MFPs) in many workplaces may have made this mistake somewhat understandable, the incident nonetheless serves as a humorous example of a peculiar tech support moment for this week's On Call. If you have a similar tale to share, you can submit your story through the provided link. Unfortunately, The Register no longer retains any fax machines.",
  "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."
}