lookin' for a PDF alternative

Subject: lookin' for a PDF alternative
From: "Writer Whirler" <a_whirler -at- hotmail -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 10:30:52 -0500

I use PDFs along with online help. The PDF graphics, of course, display poorly, but in my latest batch of user guides, they also print poorly. I am not doing anything different to capture and process them. The source docs for the PDFs are Word files. So, I have two questions:

1. How much impact does the source have on the finished product? Obviously, if the source is poor the screen shot will be poor. But poor quality is not the issue here. Can the GUI's design, color choice, etc. affect a screen shot?

2. Has anyone ever used a Word document, saved and locked as a form, as an alternative to a PDF, for wide distribution? Does locking a document as a form keep all formatting intact? Word being Word, sometimes formatting changes when another user opens the doc. I want to avoid this. What kinds of limitations might using the doc as form impose, besides the fact that the user must have Word?

I'm trying to think of alternatives to PDFs. Any ideas, comments, etc. are very welcome. Thanks.




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