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Subject:RE: Survey: how do you use PDFs From:"Jane Carnall" <jane -dot- carnall -at- digitalbridges -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 9 May 2001 13:10:14 +0100
>When you get a document in PDF form, how do you use it? that is,
>do you:
>
>* read it online
>* print it out
>* read it online and print out only sections of the document
It depends. I usually read or skim-read the intro and some sections online,
to confirm that I'm interested. Then I usually print out the whole thing for
full reading and reference. If it's very long and I'm only interested in
part of it, I might only print out the sections I'm interested in. But I
*really* like to have the option of being able to print it out - if I'm
settling down to study something, I'd rather be able to have it in hard
copy.
>This has become a *big* issue for us. The question was raised
>by our HF specialist. She doesn't like PDF format, because,
>basically, she's used to the web paradigm, and keeps expecting
>Acrobat Reader to act like WebHelp or WinHelp.
(What's an HF specialist?)
You can format Acrobat files so that they include hyperlinks. I also like
the option of producing documentation in two formats - HTML for online
viewing, PDF if you want to print it out. This (I find) can add as much as a
couple of days on to the end of a project, taking the final version,
converting it twice, and checking both versions, but I think it's worth it.
Jane Carnall
Technical Writer, Digital Bridges, Scotland
Unless stated otherwise, these opinions are mine, and mine alone.
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