Question about PDF manipulation

[Randy McLaughlin]

From: "Tony Duell" <ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2005 5:49 PM


>> Some of the attitudes here about PDF impress me as about the most 
>> ludditical
>> (is there such a word?) as I've seen in a long time.
>
> I dislike the PDF format, probably always will. For a long time I
> couldn't read it at all, in fact none of my machines can now. My parents
> have an old Mac that than display most PDF files (if I can get them onto
> the machine, which is non-trivial), or I look in the local internet cafe,
> which is not convenient either
>
>>
>> Suppose you have a CompuPro memory card and no manual.  The card is 
>> useless.
>> I give you the PDF file of the manual.  You can look at the manual
>> on-screen, or you can print it and you HAVE the hard copy manual.  In 
>> color,
>
> Well, it takes me 5 minutes per page to print it (most of the time is
> transfering the bitmap to the printer over localtalk). For any reasonable
> manual, it'll probably take at least a day to print it.
>
> And in that time I could probably have worked out how to use a memory
> card. It can't be that complicated. I have the S100 pinout to hand. I
> have pinouts of all common ICs to hand. I could trace out enough of the
> schematic in a day to know how to set the addressing jumpers, etc.
<snip>
>
> -tony

I have plenty of S100 memory boards that would take more than a day to 
figure out without a manual.  Many boards use programmable logic devices 
where you can't tell what they do by looking at them.  I have several 
MacroTech RAM cards that would take days to figure out but only take minutes 
with a manual (they have around 30 jumpers spread around the boards).

The point to a PDF document is that for almost everyone with a computer on 
this planet they can view the document on the screen.

PDF's being posted by people like myself is not meant to please everyone, I 
am happy knowing I help some.

We should make a list of what users are unable to view PDF's, starting with 
Tony how many others have no practical method of viewing a PDF or a friend 
with a compatible system?


Randy
www.s100-manuals.com