4 ms·

Scribd is a step backwards. If they wanted to create value, they could HTMLify PDFs (similar to the Gmail feature or the Google preview page) instead of showing

by Maro 17y ago

Scribd is a step backwards. If they wanted to create value, they could HTMLify PDFs (similar to the Gmail feature or the Google preview page) instead of showing them in a stupid flash window.

mingdingo 17y ago
You just brought up a great idea. Google can do it, but on a limited basis. A startup that could convert pdfs, word documents, and latex files directly to HTML+CSS, with negligible loss of quality, would be MASSIVE. Of course, this requires browsers to standardize, and step 0 is for IE6/IE7 to disappear off the face of the earth. And if IE8 can't keep up with the other browsers, then it should go too. Seriously, what you propose would be super useful.
- reedlaw 17y ago
  What's wrong with PDF? It's an open standard and displays beautifully on screen or in print. I can resize it to any size and it still renders perfectly (except for embedded bitmaps of course). I'd much rather read a book in PDF format on my screen then have to hope that a website renders properly at a size that is comfortable for reading.
  - cbr 17y ago
    The main downsides to PDF are that it is not supported in all browsers, especially mobile or embedded ones and even in the browsers where it is supported, it is implemented as a plugin and so is slow to load. PDFs open in 3sec on this computer. That seems small, but html+css pages open almost instantly. There are lots of nice things about PDF, but when almost everything else I'm viewing is html+css it's unpleasant.
  - mingdingo 17y ago
    Nothing is wrong with PDF. This would provide some pretty useful options, though.
  - alexitosrv 17y ago
    "PDF is good for printing, but that's it. Don't use it for online presentation." http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030714.html http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030714.html
  - lincolnq 17y ago
    I don't agree. I can't reformat PDFs. I can't apply my own style sheets. If it's in two columns, I'm just screwed. With a website, I can resize the text, I can edit the style, etc.
- DTrejo 17y ago
  http://pdfmenot.com/ http://pdfmenot.com/ ?

by Maro 17y ago

Scribd is a step backwards. If they wanted to create value, they could HTMLify PDFs (similar to the Gmail feature or the Google preview page) instead of showing them in a stupid flash window.

mingdingo 17y ago

You just brought up a great idea. Google can do it, but on a limited basis. A startup that could convert pdfs, word documents, and latex files directly to HTML+CSS, with negligible loss of quality, would be MASSIVE. Of course, this requires browsers to standardize, and step 0 is for IE6/IE7 to disappear off the face of the earth. And if IE8 can't keep up with the other browsers, then it should go too. Seriously, what you propose would be super useful.

reedlaw 17y ago
What's wrong with PDF? It's an open standard and displays beautifully on screen or in print. I can resize it to any size and it still renders perfectly (except for embedded bitmaps of course). I'd much rather read a book in PDF format on my screen then have to hope that a website renders properly at a size that is comfortable for reading.
- cbr 17y ago
  The main downsides to PDF are that it is not supported in all browsers, especially mobile or embedded ones and even in the browsers where it is supported, it is implemented as a plugin and so is slow to load. PDFs open in 3sec on this computer. That seems small, but html+css pages open almost instantly. There are lots of nice things about PDF, but when almost everything else I'm viewing is html+css it's unpleasant.
- mingdingo 17y ago
  Nothing is wrong with PDF. This would provide some pretty useful options, though.
- alexitosrv 17y ago
  "PDF is good for printing, but that's it. Don't use it for online presentation." http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030714.html http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030714.html
- lincolnq 17y ago
  I don't agree. I can't reformat PDFs. I can't apply my own style sheets. If it's in two columns, I'm just screwed. With a website, I can resize the text, I can edit the style, etc.
DTrejo 17y ago
http://pdfmenot.com/ http://pdfmenot.com/ ?