On Call: Exec couldn’t identify a photocopier, which made for a fax-inating tech support call
- ID
- 19091
- Status
- summarized
- Published
- 28 Aug 2026, 2:37 PM
- Fetched
- 28 Aug 2026, 11:42 PM
- Provider
- The Register
- Category
- technology
- Original 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
- Source URL
- https://www.theregister.com/headlines.atom
Summary
- Score
- 1.0
- Created
- 28 Aug 2026, 11:44 PM
- Tags
- Audience
- developersvibe_coders
What happened
The Register's On Call column shares a reader-submitted anecdote from a former UK food company facilities manager who was summoned because a 'fax machine wasn't working'—only to discover the Company Secretary had been trying to fax from the photocopier, which had a similar numeric keypad but no fax capability.
Why it matters
No actionable takeaway for builders; this is a humor piece about user-interface confusion on legacy office equipment. It does not affect any tooling, infrastructure, or decisions this audience faces.
Discussion angle
Skip this for the main segment; at most use it as a 30-second icebreaker about how similar-looking numeric keypads on different devices caused a classic support call, then move on to substantive items.