Info-Mac 3/Info_Mac_1994-01.iso/Information/Software/Adobe Acrobat

Internet Message Format | 1993-12-30 | 20KB

Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1993 14:45:38 -0500
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Adobe Acrobat Report

attached is a report/blurb from Adobe regarding Acrobat and its place in
the Grand Scheme.  FYI.

Paul Baim

-- cut here --
From: [e-mail]
Subject:      Re: Acrobat
To: Multiple recipients of list GUTNBERG
<[e-mail]>

Overview

In the last decade, personal computer users have come to depend on their
machines for a variety of tasks, nearly all of which culminate in the creation
of documents. These can range from one-page spreadsheets or simple letters to
more complex creations, such as newsletters or reports, that com- bine text,
charts, graphs, illustrations and photographic images. The computer has
traditionally been a tool for building or authoring these documents, then
printing them onto paper for distribution to their intended audiences. Despite
many technological advances, computers have not been able to effectively
communicate the digital documents they create. Much of the difficulty for
computer users in sharing computer-originated documents stems from the mix of
computing platforms, configurations and applications found in most of today's
oYces. Incompatible hardware platforms, operating systems and application
software have prevented shaing all but the most rudimentary documents. When it
can be shared across these barriers, text must be exchanged only in character-
based ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Exchange) format, which
changes the nature of  all documents, robbing them of any distinctive typefaces
or page design and precluding the use of any color or graphic elements. Adobe
Systems Incorporated, developer of software technology for creating, displaying
and printing digital documents, is overcoming these barriers with a new
approach to document communication. The Adobe Acrobat product family allows
users to send documents created on their computer to other computers
electronically, regardless of hardware platform, operating system, application
or font software used to create the original. The document can be read,
annotated, printed and stored by the receiving computer. Adobe Acrobat products
preserve the document's essential look and feel, and provide tools to aid the
receiver in  navigating through its pages on-screen. Adobe Acrobat products
will eliminate the need to distribute many documents in paper form and make
possible, for the first time, effective universal electronic document
communication, storage and retrieval. Computer users can distribute fully
formatted documents containing distinctive typefaces, color, graphics and
photographs in electronic form, and protect current investments in hardware and
software. Documents can be communicated in one of two ways: as part of simple
document distribution, in which recipients navigate, view and print documents;
or document exchange, in which recipients navigate, view, print and annotate
documents from others, and originate documents for transmission. This capacity
for instantaneous communication of documents between computer users will be
applicable to a broad range of business and consumer uses. Adobe Acrobat
Products Adobe Acrobat software is a family of products that work together to
enable document communica- tion. The key individual products include: Acrobat
Reader- a software application that addresses the needs of information
distributors and consumers. It enables users to view, navigate, and print
documents represented in a special  cross-platform file format, the Portable
Document Format (PDF). Acrobat Reader software will  be available for
Macintosh, Windows t , DOS and UNIX platforms.

Acrobat Exchange - a software application that addresses the needs of document
exchangers. It enables users to view, navigate, annotate and print PDF files.
The PDF Writer will be included in this product to enable the creation and
transmission of PDF files. Acrobat Exchange software will be available for
Macintosh, Windows, DOS and UNIX platforms. Acrobat PDF Writer - a platform-
speciWc printer driver that produces PDF files from applications, so that
documents can be sent across platforms. PDF Writers will be bundled with
Acrobat Exchange  versions for Macintosh and Windows, the environments where
such a driver will be the primary  means of producing PDF files.

Acrobat Distiller t -a software program that translates PostScript t  language
files into PDF files for information distributors. Acrobat Distiller software
will be available for Macintosh, Windows and UNIX platforms. Following is a
description of the technical components of Acrobat products and how they work
together to enable universal document communication.

The Technology Behind Adobe Acrobat : The Portable Document Format (PDF)

The key to the cross-platform functionality of Adobe Acrobat products is a
unique PostScript language- based file format called the Portable Document
Format. A PDF file can describe documents containing any combination of text,
graphics and images in a device- and resolution-independent format. These
documents can be one page or thousands of pages, very simple or extremely
complex, with rich use of fonts, graphics, color and images.

PDF, the specification for which Adobe will document and publish for use by
software developers as  an open standard, is designed to replicate the
appearance of pages with the same high fidelity as the PostScript language. A
PDF file uses the PostScript language to describe not only the visual
(printable) aspects of a document, but also additional document elements such
as annotations (notes), hypertext links, miniature "thumbnail" views of pages,
and bookmarks.  Like the PostScript language, PDF files are both device- and
resolution-independent. They appear on a computer display at the screen's
highest possible resolution, regardless of the hardware design or manu-
facturer. Because it is device-independent, PDF represents information about
page appearance in a manner that can be rendered by all major computers,
display screens or output devices - an essential capability in today's world of
multiplatform computing environments.

Creating PDF Files

Because the Portable Document Format is hardware platform, operating system and
application  neutral, virtually any document on any platform from any
application can be converted into a PDF file.  A PDF file can be created from
any application program that prints. The file may start as a word  processing
document, illustration from a drawing program, or a worksheet or graph from a
spreadsheet program. The conversion from the document produced by the
application into a PDF file is accom- plished in one of two ways - either by
using the specially designed printer driver, called the Acrobat PDF Writer, or
through the software translation program, called the Acrobat Distiller.

To produce a PDF file using the PDF Writer, the user simply creates a document
with a favorite appli- cation and proceeds as if to print the pages. In a
special print dialog, the option of creating a PDF file  is presented to the
user. The PDF Writer is designed to translate most files created on PCs running
Windows and on Macintosh computers. The PDF Writer essentially converts GDI
(for Windows)  or QuickDraw t (for Macintosh) document descriptions into PDF
descriptions and uses the standard  system-level printing interfaces to
communicate with applications. Acrobat Distiller software translates PostScript
language files into PDF files. It is designed to create  PDF files from
computing environments such as UNIX and DOS, where printer drivers do not
exist.  In addition, Acrobat Distiller helps users create PDF files from
documents that contain placed Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) language artwork or
images, as well as from documents created in applications that bypass system-
level printing facilities and generate their own PostScript language files for
printing.

Small, Portable Files

The PDF is 7-bit ASCII, which means that it is extremely portable between
diverse hardware and oper- ating system environments. By international
agreement, this standard is recognized  by all computer hardware and software
makers as a universal means of exchanging text information electronically.
While 7-bit ASCII formatting ensures the universality of PDF files, data
compresssion makes them compact for speedy transmission and low demand on
memory space. Compression algorithms such as LZWr, RLE, CCITT Group 3 and 4,
and JPEG are used to keep file sizes manageable. Compression of information
within a PDF file will occur in the PDF Writer or Acrobat Distiller software,
and decom- pression will take place on the fly within Acrobat Reader or Acrobat
Exchange software. With JPEG, color and grayscale images can be compressed by a
factor of 10:1 or more. The effective compression of  monochrome images is
highly dependent on the compression filter used and the prop- erties of the
image, but factors of 2:1 to 8:1 are common. LZW compression of text and
graphics  comprising the balance of the document results in compression ratios
of approximately 2:1.

For all but the most graphics-intensive documents, PDF files will be
significantly smaller than the CCITT Group 3-compressed counterparts used for
facsimile. A 200-dpi CCITT Group 3 file of 50 to 65K per page, for example,
would require only 5 to 10K per page as a PDF file, and would be capable of
printing at 300 dpi or any other required resolution. The reduction in file
size translates into shorter transmis- sion times across networks and phone
lines and less demand for memory space, saving time and money. In addition,
traditional document imaging systems that represent document pages as Group 4
images are restricted by fixed resolution, no color, no ability to search for
content, and limited portability. The universality of PDF and the eVectiveness
of its compression scheme allow PDF files to be commu- nicated by a variety of
means - over LAN networks, on CD-ROM or magnetic diskette, or over
telecommunications networks or other electronic highways.

Before Adobe's PDF, the only universal language available for this type of
cross-platform communication was ASCII text. PDF provides the first universal
alternative to ASCII, and the only reliable means of conveying formatted
information with graphics and photographs between platforms. With PDF, authors
or publishers can create documents in a single format, then send them to
computer users on many platforms. These documents can be viewed or printed by
any computer equipped with Acrobat Reader or Acrobat Exchange software. This
eliminates the need to publish documents in formats specific to each intended
reader's computer system.  Acrobat Exchange Software Acrobat Exchange software
lets users view, navigate, annotate and print incoming PDF documents. Its
graphical interface provides clear, intuitive access to all of its functions.

Acrobat Exchange includes navigational tools that can pan, scroll and zoom, and
allow the user to access different portions of a document using miniature
"thumbnail" representations of each page. The thumbnails appear in the margin
of the main window and are visible independently from the document open on-
screen. The user can leaf through the thumbnails as if they were bound in a
magazine, then jump from the page on-screen to a distant page by mouse-clicking
the thumbnail for the destination page. Acrobat Exchange also has a "live
links" feature that enables users to create cross-references within or across
PDF documents. For example, an organization chart could contain "deep"
information that would enable a reader to simply click on a name to reveal the
person's biography. Acrobat Exchange software even allows the reader to
annotate PDF files by affixing electronic "sticky" notes to them. These notes
are transmitted along with the main PDF file, and may be hidden or displayed at
the reader's discretion. Acrobat Exchange software includes the PDF Writer
printer driver to enable document creation and transmission.

Font Substitution

A key component of Adobe Acrobat software is a font substitution capability
that solves one of the fundamental barriers to document communication, "the
font problem." In current systems, if a  computer lacks a font in a document
received, the user may not be able to view or print the document, or the
computer may substitute a different font for the absent one, drastically
altering the document's appearance or making it completely illegible. Adobe
Acrobat products use Adobe's multiple master font technology to solve the font
problem in  document communication. Multiple master fonts were developed by
Adobe as an extension to its  Type 1 font format. They can allow users to
control weight, width, size and style of type across a broad adjustable range.
PDF files carry the metrics and other information about the fonts used in a
document, without actually including the font. The PDF file contains
information about the weight, width, size and style of the typefaces in the
document, as well as the names of the specific fonts. When the receiver of a
PDF file lacks a typeface in a document, Acrobat software reads the metrics and
simulates the absent fonts with a special Adobe multiple master typeface. The
appearance of the unavailable font is approximated so closely that, even if the
recipient has none of the fonts in the original document, the relative size,
bold- ness and style of type on the page is retained, preserving the look and
feel of text on the page.

Acrobat software uses two special multiple master fonts, a serif and sans serif
design, developed with a wide dynamic range to effectively simulate a vast
number and variety of text typefaces.

Acrobat Publisher's Tools

In the future, a set of tools for corporate and commercial publishers will
provide a means of creating new PDF documents with a variety of enhanced
functions. Publishers will use these tools to add value to PDF versions of
their publications, which could be distributed on-line or on CD-ROM with
versions of Acrobat Reader software. The Acrobat publisher's tools will enable
automatic "live-linked" indexes for documents, allowing the reader to locate
any passage instantly by clicking on its entry in the index. The tools also
will accommodate popular search-engine software, which will enable the user to
locate any word or entry in a document instantly, or even cross-reference
different subjects within a document or set of documents. Another possibility
is the creation of "deep" advertisements within electronic documents. An
interested reader could, for example, click on a photo of an advertised product
and gain access to more detailed information about it, such as performance
specifications or a list of local dealers. In addition, Adobe Acrobat products
will provide support for representing document structure,  such as that written
in the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), and for file formats of
diVerent applications. Markets for Adobe Acrobat Products The ability to send
and receive fully formatted electronic documents immediately lends itself to
two uses: personal and mass communication. To fully realize its long-term
potential, any significant document communication strategy must fulfill the
requirements of both markets today.

Personal Communication

Communication is a primary area of immediate use for Adobe Acrobat products. In
this context,  communication may be defined as enabling a group of computer
users to create and send an electronic  document to other members of the group,
even if their computer system and applications are diVerent. Communication
roles for Adobe Acrobat products can be characterized as server-based or
telecommu- nications-based. Server-based applications involve the communication
of computer files in PDF across networks. The technology functions equally well
within local-area networks (LANs), like those that might link computers within
an oYce, and wide-area networks (WANs), like those that might connect co-
workers across a campus of several buildings or branch oYces across the
country. Telecommunications-based document communication enables electronic
documents to be sent across telephone lines by modem. This is useful for
communicating information between distant oYces and is also ideal for traveling
executives who use portable computers. For business users, documents in Adobe's
PDF can replace much of the paper correspondence that  litters oYce desktops.
The result will be greater convenience, increased productivity, significant
cost reductions and more eVective communication.

Adobe Acrobat products will cut expenses associated with printing and
photocopying documents, conveying them from sender to recipient, and filing and
tracking them for future use. It will also reduce expenses - of both money and
time - associated with moving paper documents from centralized corporate
publishing sites to their target readers. Adobe Acrobat products will allow
readers to print just the pages they need on their own oYce printers, any time
and in any quantity they desire.

Mass Communication

Electronic publishing, which may be defined as production and distribution of
documents from a  single source to many readers at remote sites, can itself be
divided into two segments: commercial and  corporate or business publishers.
Commercial publishers make their profits directly from the sale of information
and advertising in publications such as newspapers, magazines and books.
Business pub- lishers create and distribute documents in the course of business
activity. Such documents include  procedural manuals, technical documentation
or user manuals, annual reports and marketing studies. With the Adobe Acrobat
family of products, both ventures may take advantage of publishing media that
are more cost-eVective than paper, including on-line, or server-based,
transmission, CD-ROM, and any use of the existing electronic highways. On-line,
or server-based, electronic publishing involves direct transmission of
documents over computer networks or telecommunications channels. The  publisher
might send documents to the reader across these channels, or the reader might
access a  server and order desired documents.  CD-ROM electronic publishing
entails the use of read-only optical compact discs as a publishing medi- um.
The publisher distributes these discs to readers, who view them using a CD-ROM
drive. CD-ROM is rapidly gaining popularity as a publishing vehicle because it
offers impressive information storage capability and permits very quick access
to information stored anywhere on the disc. Adobe Acrobat software offers
advantages both to on-line and CD-ROM publishers by enabling  documents to be
published in a format that any computer user can read. For the first time,
networked computers on different platforms will be able to easily communicate
files that contain graphics, pho- tographs and complex layouts. Acrobat
software also eliminates the need to publish different CD- ROMs for every
target computing system.

The Emerging Document Communication Field

The field of document communication is in its infancy, and a number of products
and technologies have been announced that offer some capabilities of document
communication. Some of them will compete with Adobe Acrobat products, while
others will be complementary to them. Many of the emerging technologies are
more limited in scope than Adobe Acrobat products. Some are designed for
multiplatform publishing, but not communication; others allow two-way exchange
of documents, but are limited to specific platforms or applications. Adobe is
committed to developing Adobe Acrobat products for universal document
communication, offering full publishing and communication functionality on all
major platforms, operating systems and applications.  As it evolves, document
communication will mark a convergence of technical advancements in the areas of
computer publishing, printing and information distribution, video and
telecommunications. Because the PostScript language is already a standard in
these areas, Adobe is well aware of their collec- tive and individual needs.
This insight, as well as experience as an innovator in platform-independent
software, places Adobe in a strong position to lead the way toward digital
document communication of the future.