Re: [ARSCLIST] Cataloguing still :-)--was: Cataloguing again--ARSC responsibility?

["Richard L. Hess" <arclists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 10:57 PM 9/1/2006, steven c wrote:

> Worse yet, the .pdf format requires a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader
> (admittedly
> downloadable for free if you go looking) in a version equal to or newer than
> the one used to create the file...

Sometimes it will only say "newer stuff that isn't recognized" and 
still display the file, but responsible PDF creation often involves 
some backward compatibility.

> and you CAN'T use "Edit, Copy" to save
> the piece you were looking for

Indeed you can unless the digital rights management says you cannot. 
Now text may not be in ASCII format if the PDF was created by 
scanning paper, but I usually run OCR that is part of Acrobat to make 
it searchable text, even though the view is still a picture. Acrobat 
files created from electronic text originals are full text, and scans 
can be searchable text. But, again, if the DRM says you can, then you 
can click the picture of the text as a quote and paste it in the 
document you're working on.

> , because a .pdf is just a PICTURE of
> text...not text!

Only in scanned originals (see above)

> This means you have to save the entire .pdf on your
> HD, use Acrobat Reader to access it and manually copy the text you
> are interested in! This is something like making sound recordings
> available in a proprietary format with limited fidelity...

Even if DRM is blocking you, you can do a screen print and capture a 
picture of it that way.


> A REAL student (here I disqualify the vast number who attend institutions
> of higher learning only to attain "a degree in <X>" so they can obtain
> higher-paying employment with a higher social status, and usually manage
> to avoid learning anything except where "the party" is at...) is actually
> eager to learn both information (the mind can only hold so much of that)
> and how one accesses that information when needed!

Agreed 100% and unfortunately you're measured by how you do with the 
facts more often than not.

Cheers,

Richard

Richard L. Hess                   email: richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Aurora, Ontario, Canada       (905) 713 6733     1-877-TAPE-FIX
Detailed contact information: http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.