Great Article about Past (and long future) of PDF

[davidblatner]

Most designers and publishers today don't know the early history of PDF and Acrobat, how it almost didn't happen, and how important PDF/A is in the industry. I jus read a fun article here about it:

https://tedium.co/2018/02/27/pdf-file-format-history/

Also note that the amazing Dov Isaacs from Adobe will be presenting two sessions about PDF at PePcon: The Print + ePublishing Conference this year, including one about how to make PDF/A documents from InDesign, and one called "Lies Your Printer Has Told You"

https://creativeproweek.com/session/pdf-for-archiving/

[Bo_LeBeau]

I like the "Lies Your Printer Has Told You". Dov is a great debunker of all the bad advice that many printers try to tell people.

On the forums, this happens almost every day.

It would be nice, if after the presentation, that a PDF version could be made available for download.

It could be sent to bull-headed printers and people who wonder why the printer is telling them to do certain things to their files before sending. Many times people just ask how to do what their printer requires, not understanding that most of the time is it unnecessary and is often destructive.

----------------------------------

Now, we also need a primer for document producers about the requirements to produce good PDFs for print providers.

If you have ever working on the printing end of things, you know all the things that will never work with the PDF that people give you.

This group is many times larger than the bad printer group.

All in all, a little bit of knowledge (actually, a large bit of knowledge) goes a long way towards a successful output.

[Dov Isaacs]

Ahh, my name was not used in vain, but rather in this forum…

Yes, attendees at the event will be able to download “a PDF version” of my presentations. In fact, all my presentations are prepared with InDesign (no stink'in PowerPoint). The PDF file will in fact be a high resolution, readily printable PDF/X-4 file (and possibly co-tagged as PDF/A-2 as well)!

The Luddites will be defeated!

My other session should be of interest to InDesign users as well. Content isn't just printed anymore. A PDF/X-4 file may print perfectly well and be as future-proof as possible, but many organizations that host publications on the web require PDF/A. And what about “data” in your PDF files? We'll also talk about having your cake (PDF/X) and eating it (PDF/A) as well!

          - Dov

[Derek Cross]

Looking forward to meeting you in the flesh (as they say!).

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Come on Dov, please share the secret to exporting PDF/A direct from InDesign (I understand that you may have to wait until the live session has been completed)!

[Dov Isaacs]

No secret here!

Currently (hint, hint), no direct way to export. After the fact with Acrobat, yes with clever techniques.

That's all for now!

          - Dov

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Hint taken Dov…

http://www.planetquark.com/2018/03/02/pdf-compliant-to-pdf-a-and-pdf-x-4/

[Jeff Witchel, ACI]

Hi Dov,

Looking forward to seeing you again at the conference.

Best,

Jeff