PDF files are industry standard computer files that can include text and images, ranging from single pages to hundreds of pages. Initially limited by Adobe’s control and expensive software, PDFs became popular after becoming open source in 2008. They can be created, viewed, and edited by various programs, including free readers. PDFs work independently of hardware or software and are a standardized file type that can easily display formatted text and images.
A Portable Document Format (PDF) file is a type of computer file that has been established to be an industry standard file type that can allow documents to be created and saved for use in a number of different applications around the world real. These file types can often include both text and images, and can range from a single page of information or a simple file such as a brochure or flyer, to documents hundreds of pages long. A portable document format file works independently of computer hardware or software applications and allows different users to easily access information.
Released in 1993 by software company Adobe®, the portable document format wasn’t initially a huge success. It was limited by the fact that Adobe® owned and controlled the file format, and the software used to create and access the files was typically quite expensive. Even the initial versions were not very Internet friendly, and only in later versions was this corrected and the format rapidly grew in popularity. In 2008, the Portable Document Format file type was made open source and has become an industry standard for numerous industries and companies.
Often referred to simply as a PDF, a portable document format file can be created, viewed, edited, and used by a number of different programs. Some of the more common programs used to manage PDFs are those made and distributed by Adobe®, such as Acrobat®. While many of these programs can be quite expensive, even now that they’re an open source file type, there are also free portable document format readers that allow users to easily open and view materials in a PDF. These programs can also typically be used to print a PDF document, although editing or creating them is usually limited in free software.
The portable document format was initially created as an easy way to use a single file type for a number of different purposes. Since it is a standardized file type, it works regardless of the operating system (OS) and hardware used in a computer. Someone can prepare a report, brochure or contract as a PDF file and then be able to distribute that information and know that others will be able to view and access it easily without having to worry about compatibility. A portable document format file can easily display formatted text, two-dimensional images such as pictures, charts and graphs, and can even display three-dimensional images when used with the appropriate import tools.
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