A note of thanks for all of your time and trouble in the additions and changes you made to fax_machine. I hadn't noticed the pdf feature when I sent the first fax and really like it, as well as the blurring of point of origin info. I will post to the site fairly often and hope that the postings aren't boring. I imagine that they would mainly appeal to those who have an offbeat sense of humor or are tolerant of others who do. Thanks again for the cool new features. I hope that you felt they were an improvement
to the site and not a compromise. I'm really envious of your computer skills. Best of luck. Sincerely, dr_dilla

The Dr. is in at:
dr_dilla

the original fax_monkey page is at http://www.fotolog.net/fax_machine/?photo_id=435751. Public outpouring of love for him in the comments is there. He`s likely to become this project`s mascot/spokesperson.

sorry, folks for the duplicate faxes, but i`ve added a couple of features to fax_machine!!!

starting now, the stripe of the top 30 pixels on the page are blurred by the software, so that your fax number (or company header) are obscured, for your privacy....

also, I save a copy of the incoming fax, and auto-generate a link to a pdf version, so if you`re interested in seeing/reading the original, now you can. (this is a little rough... bear with me.)

the pdf`s aren`t browsable on my server. Fotolog is the "fax_machine gallery"... consider the originals something like "here`s my sculpture, but if you`d like to meet the model, i`ll introduce you." If you`re happy with the rough-cut fotolog-fax version, just surf here, and then submit your own. --ryan

test page:

i've thought about maybe another number that, instead of posting to the fotolog posts to another, more obscure webpage on my server.

this might be lower resolution, or have "TEST" watermarked across the image, and each incoming fax would replace the previous one.... with this, at least, though... people interested in using fax_machine as kind of a "platform", or wanted to tweak their posts before submitting them could make sure they'd be oriented properly, and such... once it looks good on the test page, they could submit to the "real" fotolog fax_machine number.

is that too complicated?

....so there's really no way to correct for text faxes and stuff, to auto-orient them.

same for size and readability.

It'd be really easy for me to put up a directory on the web of the original faxes, which might be interesting, but it kind of takes away from the finished product (the fotolog), and i wouldn't want people to start using the originals in lieu of the fotolog page... that's a possible solution to "i can't read it", though... if they wanted to, they could view the pdf version (or the original huge tiff)

dr_dilla @ 2003-07-24 01:54 said:
Hi Ryan, I really like fax_machine and printed several of the "print and post" flyers for the site and will put them up locally. In your tech tips you mentioned that software could be installed that would automatically adjust the fax so that it would be correctly positioned for reading. I like your concept of the randomness for what is getting posted, but it seems to me that you wouldn`t really be compromising that aspect of fax_machine if text and pictures did post right-side-up and anything else was posted as received. I only mention this because I`ve found myself trying to read the printed stuff as opposed to simply viewing it as I do with "happened-upon" stuff that is presenting itself in a cool or unusual way that would not otherwise occur to me. I`m not trying to be critical; just some feedback. Sorry for having posted this twice but I was just trying to figure out how the machines talk to each other and still haven`t gotten it down pat yet. I appreciate your time and trouble in keeping this site going (it`s a great idea) and I`ll try to let other people know it`s here. Hope all`s well in your world. Bye for now.



fax_machine @ 2003-07-24 11:33 said:
when i was originally thinking about that, i was contemplating writing something that would attempt to recognise the fax-banners at the top of the page, but then (duh), it occurred to me that the fax banners are ALWAYS the top of the page, by definition. The "upside-downness" of an image is determined by how you stuff it in your machine, which isn`t an issue if you`re receiving it on another fax (just turn it over), but here, it`s set in fotolog-stone. (this post is getting long... i`m gonna create a quicktopic for it... see the lower right side links....)