[Junk Box Nick]

The fax machine has only recently gone from my office - it failed and wasn't deemed worth replacing - though it has been a long time since it had a separate line. It was in regular use as recently as six years ago and had occasionally come in useful since in specific circumstances.

Alternative means of communication are useful. The internet is great when it works but having experienced frequent outages (despite being in an urban area) total reliance on it is all eggs in one basket. Earlier this year I found myself driving to a customer with a brown envelope on one such occasion. On another I had to Royal Mail Special Delivery a DVD.

As for the comment upthread about people losing paper, IME they are far far better at losing emails - invariably in their hopelessly dis/unorganised computers. And don't get me started on USB sticks.* On a technical forum like this it is easy to make too many assumptions. Lack of competence at using email* is widespread and I have had to develop various strategies for dealing with this without embarrassing the person at the other end. It does sometimes test one's diplomacy and psychology powers to the limit.

If faxes are old hat then how about this: last week a job arrived by letter post! I say nothing - they pay well and promptly.

*I've been amazed at the sensitive information I have found that is not for my eyes when scrolling down an email. Last week I was given a stick which had the required files plus all sorts of others that clearly weren't for me.