As stated in the Introduction to ISO 19005-1, the primary purpose of PDF/A is to provide: “… a mechanism for representing [PDF] electronic documents in a manner that preserves their visual appearance over time, independent of the tools and systems used for creating, storing, or rendering the files.” The text goes on to identify a […]
View PostWhat’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 PostOn 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 Post(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 Post“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 PostI recently returned from 4 days in Orlando, Florida, where committees of the International Standards Organization (ISO) met to discuss, among other things, the future and direction of the PDF format (ISO 32000) and various subset PDF standards, including PDF/A (Archive), PDF/E (Engineering) and PDF/UA (Universal Accessibility). PDF Standards set technical benchmarks for PDF technology […]
View PostAlmost 4 1/2 years after initiation of the PDF/UA (Universal Accessibility) project, ISO has now granted “Approved Work Item” (AWI) status to PDF/UA, the first formal step in the ISO process which ends (we hope) in an ISO Standard for accessible PDF. From this point forward, the US and International Committees for PDF/UA will be […]
View PostNearly four years in the making, AIIM’s PDF/UA Committee today agreed to submit their draft standard to ANSI to be submitted to ISO as an ISO NWI (New Work Item). It’s the first formal step from the Working Group’s document to begin the full international process. AIIM and Adobe launched the PDF/UA effort knowing that […]
View PostFDF has been part of PDF almost since very early days. Adobe didn’t exactly have a long track record as an interactive forms company at the time, but in FDF, they succeeded in creating one of the most powerful and flexible forms solutions ever devised. As of last summer, FDF is part of ISO 32000, […]
View PostPDF/A (‘A’ is for ‘archive’), otherwise known as ISO 19005, is the subject of my latest feature article, The Content that Endures: What to know about PDF/A. Opening with the question “What happens in the year 2023, when someone has to open an Outlook PST file from 2003 to settle a lawsuit?” the article draws […]
View PostWhat’s the difference between a document and the software used to view the document? In the paper or microfiche worlds, no software is needed, so the question is meaningless. The only potential barrier to legibility is the physical condition of the document. Electronic documents are different. The physical condition of the document is assumed, otherwise […]
View PostAdobe’s goal of moving PDF from a publicly documented proprietary format to a true international standard is moving into higher gear. AIIM’s new Portable Document Format (PDF) Reference Committee is holding its first meeting on July 16-17 (yes, in less than 2 weeks time), in Silver Spring, Maryland. The page on AIIM’s website offers contact […]
View PostThe PDF/Universal Accessibility (PDF/UA) Committee met at the AIIM Conference and Expo in Boston this past week. If you are interested, you can read the agenda from the public portion of PDF/UA’s Wiki. We welcomed new members and had a productive day-and-a-half of meetings covering a wide range of issues, from MathML to table structure, […]
View PostI was on vacation when Adobe announced that the latest 1.7 edition of the venerable PDF Reference was to be shepherded towards an ISO Standard via AIIM. I checked Adobe’s own FAQ for the move to ISO — it is certainly forthright. Perhaps like most others in this business, I next thought: “great idea, just […]
View PostOriginally appeared in: Introduction I was on vacation when Adobe announced that the latest 1.7 edition of the venerable PDF Reference was to be shepherded towards an ISO Standard via AIIM. Now the initial dust cloud is settling, I’ll address this move in two articles. For brevity’s sake, I will provide links for the technical terms […]
View PostAIIM’s PDF/UA Committee needs your help! PDF/UA (Universal Accessibility) is tasked with developing a Standard for accessible PDF with a goal of eventual adoption by the ISO. The Committee is made up of volunteers (don’t I know it!), and members may be of Observer or Voting status. Voting status requires participation. The Committee’s Wiki is […]
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