Perhaps the single most common myth about PDF files is the idea that they are “unchangeable”. WRONG. It’s the single most common misunderstanding about the most common of file-formats. In reality, PDF files are easy to change. They are also easy to annotate with comments, encrypt, digitally sign, make interactive, communicate with servers and much […]
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- Talking PDF (Page 2)
Tip: Linking to a Specific Page
We hear this question a lot, so you’d think we’d have written about it by now! Not infrequently, you might like to add a web link to a PDF file, but have a specific page appear instead of the first page when the PDF opens. This may be particularly useful for frequently-accessed reference documents, or […]
View PostWhy PDF?
What’s the purpose of PDF? Why can’t I just send Word or Excel files; why should I bother converting to PDF? Very few “love” PDF, but we all need it, because PDF is electronic paper. Not everyone understands exactly why the PDF format is so popular, but for the efficient and reliable delivery of final-form […]
View PostIs PDF an Open Standard?
On May 13, the founders of Adobe Systems stepped up to the microphone to deliver a response to Steve Jobs’ open letter about Flash. They say Adobe has acted on open standards while Apple offers mere words. At the outset, I must acknowledge that I owe my livelihood to the genius of these two gentlemen. […]
View PostTestimony at the US Access Board Public Hearing on Section 508
(Duff Johnson gave this testimony at the US Access Board’s public hearing in Washington DC on May 12, 2010) Mr. Chairman, members of the U.S. Access Board, it is an honor to be here today to discuss the refresh of Section 508 as it pertains to the PDF file-format. I am here to offer my […]
View PostMr. Chairman, This Testimony Is Not Accessible!
It’s pretty sad that Congress itself isn’t yet up to speed on Section 508, to say nothing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). On April 22, a subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee for the Judiciary displayed it’s own disability. It seems this committee of Congress can’t meet a simple requirement for equal […]
View PostTip: How Not to Worry about PDF Metadata
We get this question a lot, especially from our legal customers: “How do we avoid creating PDFs that contain potentially harmful, embarrassing or confidential metadata?” THE ANSWER: Stop creating metadata in the first place, or delete it all before delivery, there’s help either way. PDF metadata can include information such as a drafting title, file-name, […]
View PostNo, PDF Is NOT Owned by Adobe!
“Adobe owns PDF, so PDF is a proprietary format” I’ve heard it said so often. I’ve decide to correct it once and for all. While PDF was invented by Adobe, the company no longer owns PDF. We all do. Let me explain. Most people closely identify PDF with Adobe Systems, and I can’t fault the […]
View PostWord Doesn’t Do Section 508, PDF Gets the Blame
So, you think PDF is a problem when it comes to accessibility and Section 508 compliance? Let’s talk about that expensive and widely used word-processing software known as Microsoft Word. Word appears unaware of Section 508 requirements for tables. In Word, column heading cells occur only when an option to repeat headings on following pages […]
View PostReview: Four Free PDF Readers
FULL DISCLOSURE: While Duff Johnson was an occasional consultant to Adobe Systems (among others), this review is objective. NOTE: This review has been superseded by an expanded review of 5 PDF Readers Cutting through the Bloatware Bloviation Almost every review of PDF software (some examples are at Brush Technology, Make Use Of, and CNET Download.com) starts […]
View PostWhat Does ‘Add Tags’ Really Do?
“Tags” sounds like HTML, doesn’t it? What’s that got to do with PDF? PDF was invented to provide an electronic equivalent of paper. As such, it’s perfectly natural for PDF files to contain characters and images located at such-and-such coordinates on a page – and that’s it. No concept of paragraphs, sentences or even words. […]
View PostThe Command-Line: Reliability Never Goes Out of Style
To those trained and experienced in .NET, Visual Basic, C libraries and other non-shell interfaces, the command-line may seem like an old-school way to get things done. (If you’re already lost, here’s a good introduction to the basic concepts). If your focus is on ease-of-development and server uptime, however, command-line applications are often a smarter […]
View PostPDF Is Easy. Maybe Too Easy.
It’s fairly commonplace to think of PDF as a format for official or reference documents, or perhaps as a simple way to share content without worrying about whether end-users have the software to view it. It’s also fairly commonplace to think of PDFs as nothing but dumb pages, with no zippy interactive features or capabilities. […]
View PostThe Tablet: What it Means for Publishing
The 2010 CES featured a notable proliferation in slate/tablet/oversized handheld devices, with media attention to match. Consumers now await the unveiling of Apple’s iThing, now scheduled (in an unfortunate collision with Obama’s State of the Union address) for January 27. With several false starts in the past dozen years, never have expectations for a new […]
View PostMore on Read Out Loud
Frequent readers of this blog may recall that I recently took the Read Out Loud feature in Adobe Acrobat out for a good flogging. It’s not an accessibility tool, nor is it an accessibility testing tool, and my life’s work (it seems) is becoming a long-drawn out effort to convey this simple, uncomplicated fact to […]
View PostStaying Safe with PDF
Recent news accounts have highlighted some security vulnerabilities in current releases of Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader, with the latest such vulnerability to be addressed (Adobe says) in an update due out January 12. Very little public information out there offers readers a useful sense of the risks and how to mitigate them. The common […]
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