Acrobat reader?!

[Lance]

Why in the world does it take adobe reader over a minute to open a one page document?! I don't get it. Why do people put up with this? Why is every singe data sheet I have ever come across on adobe reader? Why do people choose adobe as a format for their file when putting it in any other format would be sooo much easier on everybody?

 

What is so great about acrobat? I find it harder to read then other documents. The ONLY time its helpful it when it s huge document and the chapters are listed on the side.

 

So what’s the big secret? What am I missing out on here?

 

[ydoaPs]

I think the problem is your computer. I have never seen it act like that.

[Lance]

No it's definitely not my computer. Maybe the one minute is an exaggeration... but it’s just a little bit of a shock with cable internet when all the sudden I reach an adobe road block.

[bloodhound]

nope. its only you. i dont have any problems with acrobot reader. i find it highly convinient infact.

[Lance]

So the acrobat page comes up as fast as a normal web page? This is disturbing.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

What browser?

[Lance]

Netscape... But I just relized that it only takes so long to load the first time I open an acrobat document.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

It's probably because Acrobat has to be loaded into RAM from the hard drive, but the next few times it's already in RAM. When you quit Netscape it's dumped from the RAM.

It's not that slow for me, so perhaps your hard drive has a slower speed, or something.

[mossoi]

From experience Acrobat tends to do this. Personally I think it sucks as an app. but it's useful for cross platform documents. I ALWAYS avoid PDF results in Google.

 

I know this isn't my PC because it happens on all the PC's I deal with at work and is a constant source of complaint.

[bloodhound]

I really like PDF's as most of the free sheet music on the net that are in PDF are of really high quality.

[NSX]

I really like PDF's as most of the free sheet music on the net that are in PDF are of really high quality.

 

I used to do that too, but I find that it's too hard to find music that way.

 

I was recently introduced to the Noteworthy Composer. It's much better.

 

 

As for pdf vs. html, I like how pdf can show the document as is [i.e. AutoCad renderings can be shown to all besides only those with AutoCad]. However, for text-only documents, I'd much prefer html also due to the load time.

[Sayonara]

PDF almost became the de facto standard for web document structure.

 

Scary huh?

[5614]

PDF almost became the de facto standard for web document structure.

 

Scary huh?

 

indeed' date='

 

i think the only reason it didnt was because, not all computers can read *.pdf, as you need adobe acrobat reader.

 

however, i must say personally, i tend to find that loadinga *.pdf file, is slower than loading a *.html file, or the same size. this is due to the fact that, adobe acrobat reader has to open itself first, to read and display the document. for those of you who dont find this fractional difference, you must have left acrobat on its default setting, of auto-start-up-when-the-computer-turns-on. so the program is already open, when you view a *.pdf file, whereas, for me, it has to open then and there.

 

personally i dislike *.pdf files, but must admit, they are quite useful... evil little things!

 

i think the reason its used is because, you dont need to know a programing language, such as HTML, and it's generally easier to create a page, containg a mixture of text and images, as it acts more like a desktop publisher [e.g. microsoft publisher'] rather than a website program, e.g. FrontPage express.

 

additionally, i think, that acrobat is freeware. if not, i got it free on a CD of some sort, as i certainly wouldnt buy it!

[Sayonara]

The big difference between pdf and other document formats is that pdf is vector-based, which means it can do things you simply cannot do with text-based markup structures.

[5614]

The big difference between pdf and other document formats is that pdf is vector-based, which means it can do things you simply cannot do with text-based markup structures.

 

although text-based markup structures cannot do things in vectors, they can accurately re-produce, what is done in *.pdf files, just not as easily.

 

i think that it was this 'easy' part, which made *.pdf files, at one point, all so popular. but the fact that you need certain software, which needs to be loaded to view the page, that meant that it never took off as well.

 

[is acorbat freeware? or did i get it for free with something?]

[Rakdos]

[is acorbat freeware? or did i get it for free with something?]

acrobat reader is freeware but the rest of the acrobat software isnt

[Sayonara]

although text-based markup structures cannot do things in vectors, they can accurately re-produce, what is done in *.pdf files, just not as easily.

No, you can't. Not yet.

 

You could use SMIL and SVG, but since virtually no browsers support them yet, that would be pointless (oddly enough the only market-viable SVG viewer at the moment comes from Adobe).

 

 

i think that it was this 'easy' part, which made *.pdf files, at one point, all so popular. but the fact that you need certain software, which needs to be loaded to view the page, that meant that it never took off as well.

[is acorbat freeware? or did i get it for free with something?]

Adobe Reader is free, Adobe Acrobat (the PDF editor) is not.

 

However there are plenty of free non-Adobe pdf editors.

[5614]

No' date=' you can't. Not yet.

 

You could use SMIL and SVG, but since virtually no browsers support them yet, that would be pointless (oddly enough the only market-viable SVG viewer at the moment comes from Adobe).[/quote']

 

my mistake, i forgot no browsers support them, as you rightly say, i did use it once, and so i made my previous comment!

 

thining about it now though, you dont really need more accurate than html and other such text-based markup structures, i mean, you can arrange stuff in tables and stuff, ive never seen a normal

 site, that isnt acurate in the positioning of text boxes and stuff. but there is an obvious advantage in using *.pdf.

 

Adobe Reader is free' date=' Adobe Acrobat (the PDF editor) is not.

 

However there [b']are[/b] plenty of free non-Adobe pdf editors.

 

yeah, just checked ive got adobe reader, not adobe acrobat, no i havent got a *.pdf editor, as i never saw the need for one, additionally, i couldnt be bothered to buy one!

is there much need for one?

[Sayonara]

thining about it now though, you dont really need more accurate than html and other such text-based markup structures

Well, try plotting a graph accurately with HTML and you'll find that's not true. You'll also find with markup that it is not scalable.

 

It's important to understand that vector principles are fundamentally different to the linear markup and bitmap principles - trying to fudge one to perform the tasks of the other is more trouble than it is worth.

 

 

i mean, you can arrange stuff in tables and stuff, ive never seen a normal

 site, that isnt acurate in the positioning of text boxes and stuff. but there is an obvious advantage in using *.pdf.

You can't have seen many sites then.

 

 

is there much need for one?

Not for most people, no.

[5614]

Well, try plotting a graph accurately with HTML and you'll find that's not true. You'll also find with markup that it is not scalable.

 

lol, good point, i dont normally plot graphs on my frontpage express! nice thought though. normally people do it on excel, and then import it into frontpage express, or wtvr they use, as an image, or an active spreadsheet.

 

It's important to understand that vector principles are fundamentally different to the linear markup and bitmap principles - trying to fudge one to perform the tasks of the other is more trouble than it is worth.

 

yeah' date=' obviously, the fundementals are there, but unless you wanted to draw a graph of music, theres not much need for them, probably one of the contributing facts, to why *.pdf files didnt take off, and the ability to import data into html documents, as images.

 

i mean, you can arrange stuff in tables and stuff, ive never seen a normal

 site, that isnt acurate in the positioning of text boxes and stuff. but there is an obvious advantage in using *.pdf.

You can't have seen many sites then.

 

ok, knew id regret saying it [dont say "then why did you say it!"]

still, this website isnt using acrobat, and its all in line. and you dont need to reply to that sentence! coz your right, but there has to be a decent reason for *.pdf files not taking off world wide, maybe the fact that, for normal circumstances, in making a website, html is fine?

[Sayonara]

lol' date=' good point, i dont normally plot graphs on my frontpage express! nice thought though. normally people do it on excel, and then import it into frontpage express, or wtvr they use, as an image, or an active spreadsheet.

yeah, obviously, the fundementals are there, but unless you wanted to draw a graph of music, theres not much need for them, probably one of the contributing facts, to why *.pdf files didnt take off, and the ability to import data into html documents, as images.[/quote']

PDFs are used very heavily in research, education and business.

 

Believe me, it is a popular format.

 

 

still, this website isnt using acrobat, and its all in line. and you dont need to reply to that sentence! coz your right, but there has to be a decent reason for *.pdf files not taking off world wide, maybe the fact that, for normal circumstances, in making a website, html is fine?

Well, quite.

 

The reason HTML overtook pdf is because it is simple, versatile, cross-platform and free - the only ingredients most web pages require. PDF would be overkill for 99.999% of the documents that make up the web.

[5614]

PDFs are used very heavily in research' date=' education and business.

 

Believe me, it [i']is[/i] a popular format.

 

i do believe you, thats how they came from being a random product from adobe, to a world wide known thing, and then ruined its reputation among the average internet user, by getting itself onto website, where, quite frankly, they are not needed. although, admitedly, some websites do use *.pdf files quite well.

 

[wow, we agree on something ]

[Sayonara]

A pdf should not be considered a part of a web site though - it's a separate resource.

 

It's no different to linking to an mp3 or some other object, and any format can be mis-used.

[5614]

yes, i know, and agreed!

 

[wow, this is such a magical day, im agreeing with sayo!]

[bloodhound]

lets see. adobe lets ur embed the fonts in the pdf file, so that they come out alrite even if the fonts are not on the computer itself. html or others dont come out rite if there is no appropriate font.

 

http://www.sheetmusicarchive.net is a wonderful site for piano sheet music.