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What is a PDF?
We think Adobe® says it best: "The Adobe® Acrobat®
product family enables businesses to simplify document processes
using Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). A standard adopted
by governments and enterprises worldwide, Adobe PDF is a reliable
format for electronic document exchange that preserves document
integrity so files can be viewed and printed on a variety of
platforms." You can find more information on it at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/.
Why is PDF important?
If you've ever published documents to the web - or tried to
distribute them electronically - without PDF, you've likely
run into some issues. Documents need to be published to a format
that is accessible via web browser, so all users can access
it. To do this, documents need to be re-designed to work well
in the web browsers (like Internet Explorer) and this requires
additional time (and budget) for creative and programming teams.
Worse, you've possibly had the experience of seeing (or hearing)
how your site looks dramatically different on someone else's
computer. Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) addresses these
issues by being Cross Platform, Navigational, Ultra-Printable,
Ultra-Viewable and Smaller than other conventional document
formats.
- Cross Platform: PDF is a cross-platform file format
that represents documents independence from the software,
hardware, and the operating system. In simple words, you
can read a PDF document in Windows that was created on a
Macintosh that you downloaded from a Web site running Unix.
The Adobe® Reader® levels the playing field.
- Navigational: objects built into the PDF file format
allow users and creators to expand the usefulness of a publication.
Such items include: Internal and external links, bookmarks,
thumbnails of each page, article threads, form fields, buttons
for navigation, notes to annotate information, views to
allow a user to magnify or reduce a page to fit within the
user's computer screen.
- Ultra-Printable: PDF files are based on the PostScript
language imaging model. This enables sharp, color-precise
printing on almost all printers.
- Ultra-Viewable: On screen PDF files have a precise
color match regardless of the monitor used. PDF files allow
the user to magnify documents up to 800% without the loss
of clarity in text or graphics.
- Smaller: PDF files can be optimized to reduce their
file sizes. PDF files for example can be 1/5 of the size
of their HTML counterparts.
What strengths do PDF files have on the Internet?
- PDF files have many of the same characteristics as HTML
(web) documents and can be viewed within Netscape and Internet
Explorer windows.
- PDF files can be served over the Web to faster access
larger amount of information, in a process similar to the
process of streaming video files so you don't have to download
the full file before you can use/view it.
- A combination of HTML and PDF format enables publishers
to serve content to their users in its most useful format
based on the demands of content versus technology.
- PDF files need no translation, compression, or filtering
on most popular Web servers.
- Full-text search capabilities are available for PDF files.
- PDF takes document security to the next level. Creators
of PDF files can prevent the copying of text, graphics,
making changes and printing a document.
- Documents created in generally any program that can print,
can create a PDF document.
- PDF files seal the gap that many developers find when
they become frustrated creating content for the Web. "I
want it to look just like this! Why can't it look just like
as if I make it in Quark or PageMaker? " All this without
being a programmer.
How does PDF address common publishing issues on the Internet?
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Common problems
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Adobe PDF solutions
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Recipients can't open files because
they don't have the applications used to create the documents.
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Anyone, anywhere can open a PDF file.
All you need is free Adobe Reader software. |
Combined paper and electronic archives
are difficult to search, take up space, and require that
the application in which a document was created be available
for future access.
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PDF files are compact and fully searchable,
and can be accessed at any time using Adobe Reader. Interactive
hyperlinks make PDF files easy to navigate. |
| Documents do not display correctly on
handheld devices. |
Tagged Adobe PDF allows text to reflow
for display on mobile platforms, such as Palm OS®,
Symbian, and Pocket PC devices. |
Businesses revert to paper exchange
of documents and forms due to a lack of verifiable and
auditable electronic processes.
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PDF documents may have special access
rights applied and may be digitally signed. |
Documents with complex formatting are
not accessible to visually impaired readers.
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Tagged PDF files contain information
on content and structure, which makes them accessible
with the help of screen readers. |
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Chart Courtesy Adobe Inc.
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Do I need Adobe® Acrobat® to view a PDF?
No. Adobe® Reader® 6.0 is free software that lets you
view and print Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files on
a variety of devices and operating systems. You can download
it here.
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| Not based on downloads but on real document
and page interaction. |
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Adobe,
Acrobat, and PDF are either registered trademarks or trademarks
of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other
countries.