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The PDF file extension, or Portable Document Format, was created by Adobe. It is widely used, and cross-system compatible.The PDF file format is used to create documents that can include text, photographs and graphics.
History
The PDF file format was released in 1990, and in 2008 was open sourced to the computer community.
Benefits
PDFs use vector graphics, which allow them to be magnified without distortion or pixelation. Multiple document types can be merged into a PDF, including text documents, pictures and spreadsheets.
Features
PDFs support file attachments and hyperlinks within a document, and are able to be annotated and edited. PDFs are secure, and can be compressed, which allows for easy sharing.
Viewing
Both Windows and Macintosh support PDFs out of the box, and Adobe offers a free PDF viewer.
Pros and Cons
PDFs can be slower to open than a simple text or image document, but are well-suited to be printed and shared.
Potential
3D and dynamic graphics are being incorporated into PDFs. This will allow for much more user input and interaction.
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