Sounds "rediculous", but it is true. A German researcher has discovered that certain all-in-one business machines made by Xerox subtly alter text and numbers in scans and copies, while making the alterations look "real" and not like a bad photocopy.
This was first noticed after he copied some architectural plans, but on the copies found that the room dimensions were wrong (obviously smaller rooms had large dimensions on their size labels - for example, a label which read "14.13 m" read "17.42 m" on the copy. The copy was clear and easily readable and this did not look like you would expect a miscopy to look). Subsequent tests with test documents including simulated accounting entries and invoices, showed that numbers were systematically altered in the copies.
Since highlighting this problem, this has been widely replicated at other sites.
If you are using a xerox scanner or photocopier for business purposes, you are strongly advised to manually check each copy to ensure that the text matches the original and has not been altered. If you work in an industry where safety of life is important (healthcare, civil engineering, etc.) and use Xerox photocopying equipment, this is particularly important.
Xerox photocopiers alter text
This was first noticed after he copied some architectural plans, but on the copies found that the room dimensions were wrong (obviously smaller rooms had large dimensions on their size labels - for example, a label which read "14.13 m" read "17.42 m" on the copy. The copy was clear and easily readable and this did not look like you would expect a miscopy to look). Subsequent tests with test documents including simulated accounting entries and invoices, showed that numbers were systematically altered in the copies.
Since highlighting this problem, this has been widely replicated at other sites.
If you are using a xerox scanner or photocopier for business purposes, you are strongly advised to manually check each copy to ensure that the text matches the original and has not been altered. If you work in an industry where safety of life is important (healthcare, civil engineering, etc.) and use Xerox photocopying equipment, this is particularly important.
Xerox photocopiers alter text
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