In todays modern and electronic world faxes and emails are legal documents. That is my experience and validated by the courts years ago. So did PTSC get notification by email? If not I would say the USPTO really is behind the times. I would also mention that it proves the point about how what they do seems to take forever! So I can agree with other items in your post, but not point number one. Unless electronic mail etc. are not legal then I say PTSC can issue a PR.