[Web4lib] PDF restrictions

[Mike Taylor]

Robert L. Balliot writes:
 > Here is a link to an example of a pdf that is
 > very difficult to alter or save.  It is created
 > with OmniForm for pdf.  I don't think that
 > you can lock it up this way if it was sent by
 > e-mail.  But, embedded in the security of a web
 > site, you might be able to get right effect.
 > 
 > It cannot be printed using Cutepdf.

I use xpdf as my default PDF viewer.  It printed this without
complaint or comment.  As others have commented, you CANNOT secure a
document (or any other file) except by password, hardware dependence
or some similar contrivance.  You may use software that happens to
implement some restrictions, but someone else will write other
software that doesn't implement those restrictions.

I wholeheartedly agree with those who have argued that all these
"restrictions" achieve is giving a false sense of security.

 _/|_	 ___________________________________________________________________
/o ) \/  Mike Taylor    <mike at indexdata.com>    http://www.miketaylor.org.uk
)_v__/\  "Operas are all the same really.  Boy meets girl boy dumps
	 old girlfriend new girlfriend dumps boy boy goes back to old
	 girlfriend optional repeat one girl dies.  Easy" -- Steve
	 Austwick.