What Does PDF Mean?

History

• As popular as PDF documents are today, they were slow to catch on. In the early versions of Adobe Acrobat, it was impossible to create hyperlinks within the files, and the file sizes were considered too large for downloads. It wasn't until Adobe System began distributing the free Adobe Reader did the format begin to have appeal outside of desktop publishing.
  
  

Significance

• By the time the 5th version of Adobe Reader was released, it had become the standard for downloadable web documents and early ebooks. When Adobe gave free license to anyone who wanted to create PDF files within their own programs, the format was embraced by programmers and users alike.
  
  

Types

• For years, a PDF file was a two-dimensional document. With the latest incarnations of the format, a file can include embedded three-dimensional images. PDF files can also be created that are password protected or have limited capabilities such as not being able to print.
  
  

Features

• All PDF files are recognizable by their icon, which consists of red, stylized "A" on a white background, along with the words PDF and Adobe. It does not matter which program the file was created in; all PDF files have this identification.
  
  

Size

• PDF files can range in size from just a few kilobytes to several megabytes. Depending on the download speed of the computer modem, this can take anywhere from a few seconds to hours to download an individual document.
  
  

Considerations

• There are numerous free applications that allow computer users to create their own PDF documents from their own personal data. CutePDF is a freeware program that will convert any file to PDF. Many later versions of word processing programs include the option to print to a PDF file for sharing the document with others.
  
  

Misconceptions

• PDF documents are not text documents at all; rather they are graphics files rendered from TrueType fonts. This explains why many programs that include the ability to create a PDF document have the option listed in the drop down box on the print file screen.