text: why photostat(xerox) machine called xerox machine?   the process was originally called electro-photography but the name was not very catchy.  an ohio state professor suggested xerography from the greek words xeros for "dry" and graphos for "writing".  haloid (the patent holder) named its first photocopier the xerox model a, the last x being added to make the name similar to that of kodak, another rochester corporation.