Man Is The Media.
The Rolls-Royce of Document Formats: PDF
September 2nd, 2008 by Martin
I did an interview for PDF Zone about PDF and Issuu. It had a lot of interesting questions about the current and future use of PDF in the wake of the Internet, that didn’t make it in the final interview.
PDF is a defacto standard format, that you either love or hate; but you simply cannot underestimate the impact it’s had on publishing and knowledge sharing in the digital age!
PDF is the Rolls-Royce of document formats: It’s one of the strongest and most qualitative formats of the ‘desktop era’; it has aged gracefully and is still going strong as we enter the online era, not least because of services like Issuu that complements PDF with the usability and social features that the rich Internet enables.
So, I thought I’d post my answers here, in a briefly edited version, keeping the Q&A structure.
It’s pretty lengthy, but use the questions as headlines to fast-forward. Here goes:
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the PDF format. And how can Issuu complement?
PDF an ‘old’ format from the desktop era, and while it’s great for containing information, it’s not always perfect for sharing and consuming that information.
First of all, downloading 100 pages to find out that you were only interested in 1 page (or maybe none) is never ideal, no matter how fast your internet connection is and how much storage space you have available. Secondly, by distributing your content as PDF-download, copyright holders must realize that they allow people to make copies, and by that they lose control over content.
These are two structural problems Issuu solves: If you search for something on Issuu (or via Google) you are taken directly to the relevant page without the need to download the entire publication. In fact, download is not even an option, which is why copyright holders remain in control of the content, and still get the viral and distribution benefits you would otherwise, with Issuu’s many sharing and embedding options.
Another major advantage, Issuu has over a standard PDF, is our social and viral features where content is distributed intuitively and without unnecessary friction – and also very much outside Issuu via our sharing/embedding features. Finally it’s also important to understand that we have an effective Google indexing and paired with our high Google rank, your content will be much more visible altogether, compared to just putting a PDF on a website with a lower Google rank.
We at Issuu are very much fans of PDF, and it’s fair to say, we wouldn’t be the same business without it. Recently we launched our AJAX based viewer, called Paper (example), that looks just like a classic PDF viewer: It shows the content and not much else! Another cool thing about this, is that it doesn’t need Flash at all, which must be a first in the world of online publications. It also means publications can be read on iPhones and mobiles.
What is the future of PDF? Is it here forever, or, like all software, is it just holding down the fort until something a lot better comes along?
Like any de-facto standard it will remain relevant for a long, long time. It’s hard to image a new universal digital document format, that will carry text and images across computers, platforms and readers as well and efficient as PDF.
There might be competing formats with better data or image compression etc., but I really don’t think it’s the ability to contain information that is being challenged in the future of PDF; rather it’s the ability to safely distribute that information online, and let people interact and re-distribute it throughout the internet, including social networks, without losing control over copyrighted material.
And let’s not forget, that for quality content, which is Issuu’s focus, you need specialized applications to create that content, but PDF is what makes it possible for anyone to read it. In a sense Issuu only boosts that process online, and as such we are dependent on PDF. We will however add support for more formats soon, but PDF will probably be the main source of the highest quality content for a long time to come.
Where I see the nemesis the PDF format arriving from, is with services such as Aviary, where the actual content production tools themselves are shifting towards online. This will happen more and more, and it means that you essentially skip the need for PDF. But like any shifts in media behavior, formats and standards live on side-by-side and an ‘Export to PDF’ feature will probably always be high in demand by anyone wanting to store a copy of their work on a local hard drive.
And on a final note, anyone having visited a print shop or worked in publishing will know how immensely important PDF is, when it comes to ensuring the right look in print. That’s an important part of the origin of PDF and that probably won’t change any time soon.
Is the commercial ebook market alive, dead, in stasis, or will it forever be a small niche?
Just like the MP3 needed it’s iPod, the ebook needs a good portable reader. Publications are best read in a comfy armchair or on the beach, and even the most minuscule laptop just doesn’t provide the same feel and portability as a great book. Small batteries with longer life span, flexible screens with high contrast and low power consumption combined with wifi will pave the way for the ultimate portable ebook reader.
But it shouldn’t just read ebooks, because who wants just that? That’s why MP3 players and phones have merged successfully; we want multiple functionality in the same device. Certainly Issuu and other services have proven that digital books and magazines are hot stuff that people want, if only they get it how they want it.
The right ebook gadget will boost the ebook market. The Kindle looks promising, but maybe something like TechCrunch’s take on a tablet PC will be even more suitable, as it’s not just for reading books, but consuming all kinds of online content. And if the price is low enough, I’d even consider taking it to the beach too.
Another thing is ebook pricing. People won’t pay full price for digital copies, and ad-financing will most likely be an important factor. Which is another important reason for having Wifi in the device, so advertisers can serve relevant and timely ads that are the least intrusive to consumers.
Finally, I sometimes just don’t think the ebook developers realize how versatile the use of an ordinary book is. I write comments on pages, fold pages, insert bookmarks, highlight and so on. All that needs to be worked into the ebook interface, and be just as easy as doing it in a book. When that interface is ready, you could imagine building all sorts of knowledge aggregating and sharing tools on top of it – but you need to get the basics right first.
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