PDF Good and Bad

PDF (portable document format) files have been around for over two decades. It is widely used across almost all industries. A PDF file has become the hallmark for professionalism, which many corporations opt to use. Many books and documents online are presented as PDF files. Although a useful tool, a PDF file is best used for certain activities. In other situations, PDF files are considered unsuitable or bad for use.

Good Situations for the use of PDF files

There are several moments when using PDF documents is preferred. These situations are described below.

When a Professional Document is Desired

When a user wants to present information in a professional manner, this is best done using a PDF document. It presents information in a format that is not easily edited, which assures the recipient of its credibility. Therefore, users that want to send out official communication or documentation will want to do it using a PDF file format.

When Security is Paramount

People that exchange sensitive documentation usually want to do it in a secure manner. PDF documents are best used to communicated sensitive information. With a simple password on the PDF file, a user can protect the contents of a file from unwanted eyes. Therefore, this makes the PDF file format secure and reliable for use to convey important information intended for a few individuals.

When Flexibility and Ease of Use is Required

If a user intends to communicate information to a receiver in a simple manner, it is best presented in PDF format. In the first instance, the user can easily create a PDF file within a matter of seconds while using simple free tools. Also, files that contain images and graphics are likely to increase the size of the file created. A PDF file is flexible enough to allow for compression into a smaller file size. Finally, the recipient can easily view the document and also provide feedback through the same file.

Bad Situations for the use of PDF Files

Unfortunately, there are situations where using a PDF file is a bad idea. These moments are discussed below.

When a There is Future Need to Edit Information

Although PDF files are easy to make, these documents can be difficult to edit. A user can face a lot of challenges if there is a need to edit such a file. In most cases, software that edits PDF files comes at a price. Free applications, on the other hand, provide poor services or may include a watermark, which makes a document look unprofessional.

When information Extraction is Required

It is not always a good idea to present information in a PDF format if there is a tendency of information extraction at some point. The PDF file structure makes it difficult for a user to easily extract specific texts, tables, and other information from the document. Most information copied from PDF files may require additional editing before it can be utilized. Also, text stored as a picture within a PDF file can only be exported as an image.

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