Simple Faxing from WindowsXP

After complaining before that faxing from XP is complicated by using MS faxing (Fax console) and WinFax by Symantec is not much simpler either, I need advise. What I want to do:


Simply send and receive a fax from my XP without complicated configurations and methodicals. I want to compose a document in either WordPerfect 6.1 or MS Word, and/or scan a document using one of the graphic programs (like Adobe Photoshop or other). Forget about fancy formats and front pages. I don't have a dedicated phone line, so I want to use my regular line. For receiving FAX I would tell the sender to call me on my regular phone and tell me he wants to send a Fax. I will advise him/her to start sending the fax in 5 minutes and then I would terminate this call. At this point I would connect the phoneline to my modem, start up the PC and the Fax program, so when the fax comes in, the PC would answer and receive the fax. It would be stored in a folder. I could open it with a graphics program and print it out.

Sounds reasonable? So I am asking you to recommend the simplest and foolproof program (and relatively inexpensive - WinFax runs close to a hundred bucks for a legit copy.)

I am not a techie, so simplicity and ease is my motto.

Thanks, fellows.

 

Consider MightyFax:
www.rkssoftware.com/mightyfax/overview.html
Costs $19.95. It sets up a "printer" just like the windows fax program (which I also gave up on). The only thing I've not been able to send as a fax was a list of mailing labels genererated by a database program (something about the printer not supporting the fonts). No problem sending from Word or Excel. Or put your message on the fax cover sheet.
You print received faxes from the program itself, not a separate graphics program.
You could set the program to "receive" all the time, then plug in your phone line when you want to receive a fax.
Not sure, but I think you could run your phone line into the modem, and plug your phone into the "phone" jack on the modem. When you expect a fax, you would click the icon that tells MightyFax to start receiving faxes.
You might set MightyFax to pick up on the 3d or 4th ring, so when you forget to hit the "stop receiving" icon, you have a chance to get your incoming call.

 

Thank you weccpas. I heard from other people about Mightyfax, so I will go with it.

 

Thanks weccpas;
After a week to compare, finally, at your recommendation, I downloaded MightyFax trial and as far as I can see, it is what I was looking for, it is simpler, more user friendly and for 20 bucks, what can I loose. By the way, I had a question and e-mailed to them and the response was instanteneous. If this reflects their tech service, it is fantastique, if nothing else, this will highly recommend the product. (Try to get a tech answer for MS).

So it seems this might be the end of this thread.

 

charlesh I'm glad you found a program you find you can deal with. Myself, I found nothing terribly confusing about WinFax Pro. I use a single phone line and have my modem hooked up.

There are a lot of features, but I don't use all of them.