Faxing has a long and storied history, and it continues to be a bedrock technology for countless professionals today thanks to the myriad benefits of online fax solutions. But of the likely millions of faxes that have been sent out and received over the years, only a handful have stood the test of time as landmark communications from some of the most notable figures in history. Here are six of the most famous online communiques from history that have been sent via fax:
1) 1924 political conventions
Some of the very first fax messages sent over telephone wires were fittingly images. After all, in comparison with many other communication mediums that existed back then and today, faxing allows individuals and companies to perfectly transmit images and written messages. It was during this year that pictures from the two major political conventions were transmitted to newspapers across the United States, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Compared with what is available from online fax solutions today, however, these original messages came through very slowly: seven minutes for a five-by-seven inch photo.
2) “I’m back”
Perhaps one of the most famous faxes in sports history occurred 20 years ago, with basketball great Michael Jordan sending this simple fax message to the Chicago Bulls to let them know he was coming out of retirement. According to ESPN.com’s J.A. Adande, the fax was the simplest and most straightforward way for perhaps the biggest sports star of our time to return to basketball.
3) Pop culture musings
Due to its ability to combine handwriting and artwork, faxing is perhaps tailor-made for creative types. This is why some of the biggest pop culture figures, including Hunter S. Thompson and Iggy Pop, used faxing to its full effect.
4) Sarcasm at its finest
Reporters, athletes and artists are far from the only ones who have embraced faxing, as famous astrophysicists have been known to turn to the medium every now and then too. In what is perhaps one of the best retorts in history, famed Professor Stephen Hawking had this to say to a British magazine looking for the secret to time travel: “Thank you for your recent fax. I do not have any equations for time travel. If I had, I would win the National Lottery every week. – S W Hawking.”
5) Save the date
For perhaps one of the most famous faxes in European history, you only have to go back to 2011. To make sure that the ornate and handwritten invitations for the wedding of England’s Prince William and Kate Middleton arrived promptly to other European royals, the Lord Chamberlain’s office naturally turned to faxing.
6) The one you have yet to send
Secure faxing is still a very integral communications tool for many industries and people across the globe, and online fax solutions combine the traditional benefits of faxing with the power and flexibility of the cloud. And the next message you send could end up on this list!
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