marbux wrote:
On 9/25/07, Jean Hollis Weber <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I read PDF magazines onscreen when I can (eg Linux Journal
Digital), and only print out a few pages to keep for reference.
Landscape orientation means a PDF works very well for both
purposes, but portrait works well only for printouts especially
if the design is 2-column (otherwise I have to scroll vertically
a lot, both up and down).
+1 on the vertical scrolling problem with mutli-column PDFs. I have to
read a lot of them (e.g., official government journals, scientific journals,
etc.) and the constant scrolling is a PITA. Particularly when they are set
in small type that forces you to enlarge the type size to read, which also
forces you to scroll left and right to switch columns. Landscape mode with
20 point type and appropriate margins and column gutters keeps the entire
page on one screen with text at an easily legible size. Readers can
concentrate on content rather than navigation.
The problem is that portrait mode is a poor match for the proportional
dimensions of a computer monitor. Landscape mode with a normal paper size
comes close enough that margins can be adjusted to compensate for the rest.
On reasons for using PDF rather than HTML +, here are a few:
-- Variations in the ways that browsers render web pages are eliminated so
the need for a whole bunch of testing in different browsers is eliminated;
-- Allows use of complex formatting without testing in various browsers;
-- Allows use of software designed for high-quality desktop publishing
rather than for web publishing;
I don't want to get into an argument about the pros and cons of
PDF publishing on the web but you're publishing to the web, not to the
desktop. The web is a more flexible publishing medium with many
possible user setups regarding orientation, screen size, color depth,
etc. Not to mention accessibility problems with PDFs (unless you're
using tagged PDF).
-- Fonts can be embedded so readers get the document designer's intended
graphical effect;
-- Web and dead-tree publishing can use the same document without
reformatting;
But they *need* reformatting because one format cannot satisfy all channels:
Web on computer screens, printouts, screen readers, small devices.
You're (well not literally you :-) using landscape PDF to the advantage
of screen display but to the disadvantage of printout. You even fix
the paper size (A4 in Europe, letter in the US) that often causes
problems on printout. You're using a fixed width and layout that may
force people with small screen resolutions to scroll the document or scale it
down, but to the advantage of an aesthetic printout.
A see the beauty of completely controlling all visual aspects of
a publication but the internet is just not the best medium for that as
long as there are browsers that don't adhere to standards.
Frank
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