Let's face it, the fax machine is as dead as a doornail - killed by email. Pretty much the only place faxes are used now is for documents that still need physical copies - "ink on paper"-type contracts, etc. Why not revitalise the fax machine by making every fax you receive bring back fond memories of your childhood? The solution is simple - the DittoFax.

Remember "ditto machines"? That was the machine in the secretary's office at your primary school that teachers used to crank out quizzes and worksheets. The copies were almost impossible to read, but everyone loved them anyway - because firstly, the output was purple; and secondly, it smelt fantastic.

I'm not sure what the smell was, but it smelt rather like some sort of cleaning fluid - perhaps alcohol-based? When you got a new worksheet from the teacher, they were still warm and smelled like someone's lovable alcoholic uncle.

Imagine if, on finding you had received a fax, you raced down excitedly to the fax machine to collect it, knowing if you got there while it was still warm, you could press it against your face and take a big big whiff of some no-doubt-carcinogenic yet deliciously-smelling ink? Fax use would triple overnight. I would imagine scented, coloured ink would be a doddle to create...

The same technology could also be applied to photocopiers and laser printers.
-- mino, Aug 20 2001

Lest anyone be tempted to post the idea:
smelly purple feces
(This notice posted as a service of your friendly neighborhood pun pre-emptor.)
-- beauxeault, Aug 20 2001


[UnaBubba]: //2 no effects// - surely they at least got drunk?
-- st3f, Aug 20 2001


Thank you beauxeault, thank you thank you. Pun premption is in this case a service of inestimable value.
-- Dog Ed, Aug 21 2001


yeah, the fax machine would be quite cool - but only if it made the "a fax just came" noise and you had to stroll over and actually crank the handle before it came out.
-- cucaracha, Aug 21 2001


[waugsqueke: There are quite a number of issues regarding the health effects from using these devices, mostly regarding exposure to dangerous levels of methanol. ]

Well, I think I just worked out why I have such fond memories of those tests.
-- mino, Aug 23 2001


Ah, I remember those days. I always knew when we were going to have a pop quiz, because the teacher would come in in the morning with purple fingers.
-- Freefall, Nov 05 2003



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