1970s data comms UK 2781

My problem with PDF is Adobe's grabreastuitous changes in their reader GUI. For instance, it used to be that each PDF document was in a separate window, even though you were running only one reader process.

Now in 7.0 there's only ONE window with tabs, which SUCKS. This means you can't have two documents side-by-side or flip quickly between windows, or use the window manager you've customized to your taste to manage your windows.

And since it's only one process (new invocations simply communicate with the current one) you're basically f***ed. You can't just start a new process with a new window.

Which means I had to go through a painful process to downgrade from 7.0 back to 5.0.

Oh yeah, and another pet peeve: If you try to close the last window, it WON'T! It simply closes the last document and leaves a blank Acrobat window. I've had to code a special "f*** OFF AND DIE ALREADY" mode in my window manager to deal with this.

But I don't mind Adobe themselves... their design of Postscript makes me cut them a little leeway.

As you say however, it's an open format and I could use xpdf or code my own if I weren't so lazy.

Eh, it's not a bad format for its problem set and it would be nice if it catches on. I'm going to experiment with converting the parts microfiche for one of my bikes to this, just to see how it compares with PDF.

And even on this PIII-450, it doesn't cost me anything to compile it.

A "critical mbutt" has to start somewhere, otherwise we'd all still be using punch cards instead of this newfangled paper tape stuff.

-gc

-- "Cheer up, things could be worse." So I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse.