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Re: How commonly used are PDFs? (Was: Should we skip HTML?)
Subject:Re: How commonly used are PDFs? (Was: Should we skip HTML?) From:Matt Craver <MCraver -at- OPENSOLUTIONS -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 10 Mar 1998 11:26:16 -0500
Penny:
The only "objective" study I've seen was late last year and had a figure
that as of June, 70% of documents distributed through the Web were in
PDF format. The grains of salt I attach to this figure? June 1997 is
the "Web-time" equivalent of some time in the 1600's, and the Web is
only one possible "electronic" distribution method ( CD-ROM, FTP,
e-mail, etc.). I don't, unfortunately, remember what the authors
defined as a "document" and how they distinguished between an HTML
"document" and an HTML "site".
-Matthew Craver,
Technical Documentation
Open Solutions Inc.
Mcraver -at- opensolutions -dot- com
Penny Staples wrote:
>I'm seeing a lot of claims on this list regarding the
>PDF format and Adobe Acrobat. Generally, it's
>
>"Everyone's using it."
>versus
>"Don't be ridiculous. Hardly anyone is using it."
>
>Unfortunately all of the claims seem based on *subjective*
>experience and personal opinion. Does anyone have any
>objective evidence (studies, etc.)? I'm genuinely curious.
>
>Regards,
>
>Penny Staples
>pstaples -at- airwire -dot- com
>
>PS: My own particular bias is to use the PDF format if it
>makes sense for you and your users. <shrug> It's
>just another tool.
