[WEB4LIB] PDF versus HTML

[Abbott, Bruce]

This question is one that really vexes web developers and librarians alike.

The short answer is that the pdf is what the user wants.  They want the
document they print from the web to look just like the printed journal.

Web developers can put all kinds of value added services and content on HTML
documents, but users have not wanted anything but the pdf.  What developers
have done (HighWire Press is a great example) is to put the value added
services and content on the citation and let users choose the pdf print as
one of the options from the citation page.

OVID Technologies was one of the very early purveyors of online journal
content and they resisted making pdf files available.  In their shop they
joked that pdf was an abbreviation for petrified data files.  They
eventually gave in and started providing pdf files because the marketplace
made its wishes clear.

Bruce Abbott
Asst. Director for Library Systems and Electronic Resources
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Library
433 Bolivar St.
New Orleans, LA 70112

babbot at lsuhsc.edu
504-568-6103 (voice)



-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of John Fitzgibbon
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 5:57 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
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 

******************************************************************* 
Tá eolas atá príobháideach agus rúnda sa ríomhphost seo 
agus aon iatán a ghabhann leis agus is leis an duine/na daoine
sin amháin a bhfuil siad seolta chucu a bhaineann siad. 
Mura seolaí thú, níl tú údaraithe an ríomhphost nó aon iatán 
a ghabhann leis a léamh, a chóipáil ná a úsáid. 
Má tá an ríomhphost seo faighte agat trí dhearmad, 
cuir an seoltóir ar an eolas thrí aischur ríomhphoist 
agus scrios ansin é le do thoil. 

This e-mail and any attachment contains information which is 
private and confidential and is intended for the addressee 
only. If you are not an addressee, you are not authorised 
to read, copy or use the e-mail or any attachment. 
If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify 
the sender by return e-mail and then destroy it. 
*********************************************************************




*********************************************************************
Due to deletion of content types excluded from this list by policy,
this multipart message was reduced to a single part, and from there
to a plain text message.
*********************************************************************