Is it really necessary to convert DOC or any other files to PDF for online?

ITDEFX

ITDEFX

CAGiversary!
Feedback
13 (100%)
I was applying for a few government jobs the other day and noticed the application site converting all my documents (resume, letters of recommendation, etc) to PDF. A few years ago I had a boss that was "obsessed" with making us convert EVERYTHING docs, pictures, and so on to PDF because in her mind "everyone" as Adobe Acrobat Reader. That's not always the case. I have worked on other computers ranging from friends and family computers to other people's computers and most of them never have Adobe Acrobat Reader. Heck I don't even install it unless there is absolutely necessary to see something important online. Most of the time when I use it, it ends up locking up my browser when I try to read an online PDF.

Anyways, what is really the point of converting documents to PDF for online? So no one can edit it? I know their are converters PDF to word or other format so that defeats the purpose of PDF. Heck I still don't see why places like Fedex Kinkos needs to have images converted to PDF instead of the original JPG/PSD files.
 
PDFs are the ISO standard for online documents.

They're also much easier to read than docs or text files online, since they're much cleaner.
LaTeX also exports into PDFs, so most scientific/mathematical papers are in PDFs as well.

PDFs kick ass.
 
I always submit PDFs now ... All it took was seeing that my .doc resume created in Microsoft Word on one computer was spaced differently on another computer because the same "Times New Roman" font was actually different between the two computers. Thus, the last word or two of every line wrapped to the next before the return.

So now always, always, always PDF. You know how that's going to look. Can't risk it with these things.
 
[quote name='Liquid 2']PDFs are the ISO standard for online documents.

They're also much easier to read than docs or text files online, since they're much cleaner.
LaTeX also exports into PDFs, so most scientific/mathematical papers are in PDFs as well.

PDFs kick ass.[/quote]

What do you mean "Cleaner"? I understand text files are just that simple text files..but things like resumes or surveys or questionnaires that need to look good in order to be read look fine printed out on paper from programs like Word. I printed out a document both in word and PDF format and they both look fine to me.

Unless you have a PDF converter or the full Acrobat program, there is nothing you can do to edit it vs a DOC file via word. Most businesses and offices have some version of WORD installed vs having a PDF reader which some people either don't want to install or can't install because of work pc access restrictions.

I like word because I can pull a document sent, open it up, fill it out and send it back via email. I have to do a number of survey reports every few months and email it back to my supervisor. She always sends it via DOC format. It's easier for everyone.

Still hasn't answered my question. Is there something inside of a PDF that protects it or encrypts it or whatever that Government or large orginizations like that they want their employees to use over ms word? or is it just read only (PDF) vs read/write (Word)?
 
[quote name='AHEADAMUS']I always submit PDFs now ... All it took was seeing that my .doc resume created in Microsoft Word on one computer was spaced differently on another computer because the same "Times New Roman" font was actually different between the two computers. Thus, the last word or two of every line wrapped to the next before the return.

So now always, always, always PDF. You know how that's going to look. Can't risk it with these things.[/quote]


Times New Roman font and Ariel (?) are two of the most common fonts I have seen used in many doc files. The only time I see when the font changes to something different is in there contact information or quote at the bottom of the email.

Also isn't there a file size difference between the two outputted file formats?
 
Recently, a had to submit a copy of my paystub to a bank as part of a mortgage approval process. My company has electronic stubs so I logged in and emailed the bank lady a cut and pasted copy of my pay information. This was a Friday, so I went on my merry way and had a drunken weekend and returned Monday to find several frantic emails to both myself and my wife saying that this information was NOT acceptable and HAD to be in PDF form!

Baffled, I simply converted the same EXACT cut and pasted info into a PDF that looked identical and sent it off. We had no problems after that.

MUST HAVE PDFFF!!!!!!!!!1111111111111111111
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top