[WEB4LIB] PDF versus HTML

[Mike Beccaria]

Hi John,
 
Good question. PDF files look the same (margins, spacing, fonts, etc.) on every computer everywhere. The format was designed for this purpose in mind...Web pages can look different from computer to computer depending on which browser you have (Netscape, IE, Firefox, Opera, etc. and PC and Mac versions of each). One way that most people tend to make the best of both worlds is by putting the documents on the web in HTML and then make a "printer friendly" pdf link near the top or bottom of them. Hope that helps:) As an aside, Microsoft Word documents also may not look the same from computer to computer.
 
Mike

	-----Original Message----- 
	From: John Fitzgibbon [mailto:jfitzgibbon at Galwaylibrary.ie] 
	Sent: Wed 3/30/2005 6:55 AM 
	To: Multiple recipients of list 
	Cc: 
	Subject: [WEB4LIB] PDF versus HTML
	
	

	Hi,
	
	We have a number of print documents which we wish to make available on
	the web. My boss is very keen on saving these documents as PDF files and
	making them available on the web in this format.
	
	I think it would be better to convert the documents to HTML but am
	finding it difficult to marshal my arguments. Many newspapers eschew PDF
	in favor of HTML; they must have their reasons. Newspapers are
	essentially a print medium and it would seem that PDF is tailor made for
	putting print media on the web.
	
	When should PDF be used and when should HTML be used?
	
	Regards
	John
	
	John Fitzgibbon
	
	Galway Public Library
	Island House
	Cathedral Square
	Galway
	Ireland
	
	p: 00 353 91 562471
	f: 00 353 91 565039
	w: http://www.galwaylibrary.ie
	
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