On Tue, 19 Jun 2001, Kenneth E. Lussier wrote:
> Yes, that is one application of it, but I don't want to emphisize it, lest
> we may offend the RIAA ;-).
IMO, the more we can do to offend the RIAA -- the better! :-)
>> Macromedia Shockwave/Flash and Adobe PDF come to mind.
>
> Personally, I never understood PDF. What is so wrong with HTML and
> embeded images?
HTML is a *content* markup language, designed to let the user customize the
presentation. It is most explicitly *not* designed to "look the same on every
computer", despite the misguided attempts of countless webmasters. Indeed, it
is designed to *look different* on every computer.
PDF is designed to make a document look the same, regardless of medium or
technology. A PDF document should look the same from one screen to another,
and one printer to another.
Thus, HTML and PDF have distinctly different design goals.
Of course, many times, something done using PDF should have been done using
HTML, and something done using HTML should have been done using PDF (or an
equivalent). It appears people like trying to force square pegs through round
holes. *shrug*
> As for shockwave/flash, that is a strange case. There are several
> animation formats out there, but flash seems to be the only one to catch
> on.
I think this is mainly marketing on the part of Macromedia. (Although I'm
told their authoring tools are nice. Myself, I've never used 'em.) Since
we're on the topic, IMO, Flash is far more often used when it shouldn't than
PDF is. :-)
>> The whole "all the world runs Microsoft Office" perception is a problem,
>> but that is a different sort of problem. There already are open format
>> alternatives; it is just getting people to use them is hard.
>
> Two words: PLAIN TEXT!!!!
Again, the hard part is getting people to use it.
Although, in all fairness, word processors, spreadsheets, and the like have
their places. The nasty part is that no two programs (or versions thereof)
share the same format. :-(
--
Ben Scott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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