Talk:PDF

Any of you know any alternatives to PDF which you think are better, and why you think they are better? -- Hackeron


 * This isn't really the place for this - try LQ. I don't see any sense in it, though. HTML is plenty portable and is a document format and supports text and graphics (too many graphics). Harder to password-protect and sell, though. Easier to edit and pass around. Renders faster. Doesn't require any special tools beyond an editor and a browser which everyone has anyway. Etc. --Digiot 18:43, May 15, 2004 (EDT)

I hate to go against Digiot, but just in case you don't have a LQ login (like me), I'll weigh in. AFAIK PDF was orginally designed AFAIK so that a document would print out exactly as it looked on the screen, regardless of what program was used to print it out. (Hence the Portable Document Format.) I think this was before HTML, but I could be wrong. Anyway, html sometimes looks different depending on the browser. If browsers would stick to the standards that wouldn't happen but... Anyway, PDFs were never intended to be put on the web. Problem is, people are using for uses it was never intended for. For most uses, HTML is better. You can search for text, you can put in hyperlinks, and it's easier to edit.

On another note, use four tildes (squiggles) to sign your posts.

Crazyeddie 18:55, May 16, 2004 (EDT)


 * Yeah, you're probably right there - I avoid printers when possible and my main gripe is people throwing them all over the net. - As far as LQ, registering is completely optional and a separate thing from this site, of course, but it's free and no-hassle if anybody wants. --Digiot 20:41, May 16, 2004 (EDT)


 * I'm registered at the LQ now, as crazyeddie740. I personally print out a lot of stuff now, especially since I got a laser printer. Reading off the screen is a bugger for anything more than a page or two. Crazyeddie 16:33, Jun 2, 2004 (EDT)