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PDF is an open format, with multiple FOSS reader implementations. You could argue that a subset of niche features can only be used in Acrobat Reader, but AR is
by npteljes 5y ago
PDF is an open format, with multiple FOSS reader implementations. You could argue that a subset of niche features can only be used in Acrobat Reader, but AR is far from the only PDF reader out there.
And the churn is part of the zeitgeist, not really a responsibility of anyone in particular. Individuals are suckered into it, companies are supplying it, and governments are allowing it. We're all part of it. Not new either: I'm hearing it since the 90s how the modern life is rushed, and that's just my limited experience.
- lucideer 5y agoI said it wasn't universal, which is somewhat different to the vague idea of being "open", and yes, PDF is technically an "open format" depending on how you define "open". The ISO 32000 spec. costs in the region of ~200 USD/EUR. What that "openness" translates into in the real world is that there are zero non-Adobe viewers that support all of PDF's features, and even less PDF editors. The standard PDF editor costs ~200 USD/EUR (annual subscription). This is before we even get into the nightmarish world of PDF parsing. Or PDF accessibility. PDF is a great format if you're sending a document to someone for them to print immediately. It has no other valid uses imo.
- npteljes 5y agoI see your point, thanks for the elaboration. I'm not a fan of the format either.