WTF is it with colleges and PDF files?

Shawn

Lifer
Apr 20, 2003
32,236
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91
Almost everything is in PDF format. In my sociology class they'll scan news articles and instead of making them compressed image files they make HUGE PDF files. Usually 20+MB in size. WTF?! :|

edit: I even have teachers that convert their powerpoint presentations into PDF files. :confused:
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
Maybe they're scanning with a photocopier and they don't know how to change the settings
 

Dubb

Platinum Member
Mar 25, 2003
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easier for multi-page stuff.

and if you confince the prof to compress the images before compiling the PDF, the files will be smaller.
 

RaynorWolfcastle

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2001
8,968
16
81
uh, the fact that your sociology prof doesn't know how to set Acrobat correctly doesn't make PDF suck as a format.
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
Originally posted by: mugs
Maybe they're scanning with a photocopier and they don't know how to change the settings
Ah, tell me more. I bought a Canon 8400F, and was thrilled with how quickly and easily it can create a PDF, however they are HUGE. I didn't notice any settings for reducing them. :confused:

Edit: Nevermind, I think I found it in the manual I just downloaded (original is still in the box). There's a "settings" window that can be brought up to make adjustments, and one of them is image resolution. No doubt that will be the culprit.
 

revnja

Platinum Member
Feb 1, 2004
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Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
uh, the fact that your sociology prof doesn't know how to set Acrobat correctly doesn't make PDF suck as a format.

Thank you!
 

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
44
91
I know exactly why most places use PDF: Document security. PPT slides are converted to PDF for distribution because they are copyrighted instructional materials and belong to the professors. They do _not_ want to see their own slides ending up in other PPT presentations and making them available only in PDF makes it more difficult for students to plagarise them.

ZV
 

Mo0o

Lifer
Jul 31, 2001
24,227
3
76
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I know exactly why most places use PDF: Document security. PPT slides are converted to PDF for distribution because they are copyrighted instructional materials and belong to the professors. They do _not_ want to see their own slides ending up in other PPT presentations and making them available only in PDF makes it more difficult for students to plagarise them.

ZV

ALmost all of my professors offer their lecture slides in PPT form. I guess they're lazy
 

SarcasticDwarf

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2001
9,574
2
76
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I know exactly why most places use PDF: Document security. PPT slides are converted to PDF for distribution because they are copyrighted instructional materials and belong to the professors. They do _not_ want to see their own slides ending up in other PPT presentations and making them available only in PDF makes it more difficult for students to plagarise them.

ZV

Yeah, and these are the same profs that make it 1 slide per page, jacking up paper use.
 

RaynorWolfcastle

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2001
8,968
16
81
Originally posted by: Mo0o
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I know exactly why most places use PDF: Document security. PPT slides are converted to PDF for distribution because they are copyrighted instructional materials and belong to the professors. They do _not_ want to see their own slides ending up in other PPT presentations and making them available only in PDF makes it more difficult for students to plagarise them.

ZV

ALmost all of my professors offer their lecture slides in PPT form. I guess they're lazy
How lazy can you get, converting to PDF is as simple as printing :confused:
 

Mo0o

Lifer
Jul 31, 2001
24,227
3
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Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Originally posted by: Mo0o
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I know exactly why most places use PDF: Document security. PPT slides are converted to PDF for distribution because they are copyrighted instructional materials and belong to the professors. They do _not_ want to see their own slides ending up in other PPT presentations and making them available only in PDF makes it more difficult for students to plagarise them.

ZV

ALmost all of my professors offer their lecture slides in PPT form. I guess they're lazy
How lazy can you get, converting to PDF is as simple as printing :confused:

Dont look at me, ask my professors
 

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
44
91
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I know exactly why most places use PDF: Document security. PPT slides are converted to PDF for distribution because they are copyrighted instructional materials and belong to the professors. They do _not_ want to see their own slides ending up in other PPT presentations and making them available only in PDF makes it more difficult for students to plagarise them.

ZV
Yeah, and these are the same profs that make it 1 slide per page, jacking up paper use.
There's an easy printer setting in Acrobat reader where you can specify 2, 4, 6, or 9 "pages" per printed sheet of paper...

ZV
 

Darien

Platinum Member
Feb 27, 2002
2,817
1
0
I like PDF. Everyone can view a pdf file with any pdf reader (many of which are free), and it'll look exactly the same on any machine.

Can't say the same for many other document forms (eg: .doc files).
 

PaNsyBoy8

Golden Member
Jul 19, 2001
1,446
0
0
Originally posted by: Darien
I like PDF. Everyone can view a pdf file with any pdf reader (many of which are free), and it'll look exactly the same on any machine.

Can't say the same for many other document forms (eg: .doc files).

That's exactly it, its also harder to edit pdf files, and its a great way to get rid of metadata
 

speg

Diamond Member
Apr 30, 2000
3,681
3
76
www.speg.com
Dude, my university uses a lot of PDF's and I love it. In fact, I ask my prof's specifically if they can publish their notes/presentations etc in pdf. And yes that includes powerpoint. In fact, ESPECIALLY powerpoint. You know why? BEcasue PDF = relaible. Whether I'm in class, on my notebook, in the labs, at home, on a my Mac or PC it's always going to work AND display correctly. So many times I've opened some file and the characters are all screwed up. PDF brings a standard that everyone can read. When you've got all those scenarios I just listed x50 students you are bound to have problems unless you have a standard. PDF is that standard.
 

dighn

Lifer
Aug 12, 2001
22,820
4
81
Originally posted by: PaNsyBoy8
Originally posted by: Darien
I like PDF. Everyone can view a pdf file with any pdf reader (many of which are free), and it'll look exactly the same on any machine.

Can't say the same for many other document forms (eg: .doc files).

That's exactly it, its also harder to edit pdf files, and its a great way to get rid of metadata


ditto
I <3 pdf
 

ramuman

Senior member
Sep 7, 2004
875
0
0
PDF is fine, the bloated reader for it that is Acrobat 7 is not. Hopefully thats one of the things they work on after the merger - doubt it though.

PDF works because you can convert nearly anything to a PDF from Mathematica and MATLAB code to PowerPoint to Word and like was said above, if it coverted fine, it will look fine on any computer that has the reader (a version above which you specify when distilling the PDF)
 

tami

Lifer
Nov 14, 2004
11,588
3
81
it's better to have a PDF than a PS (postscript) file, especially if you don't run linux. :p
 

Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
21,938
6
81
Originally posted by: Darien
I like PDF. Everyone can view a pdf file with any pdf reader (many of which are free), and it'll look exactly the same on any machine.

Can't say the same for many other document forms (eg: .doc files).

There's a free PPT viewer available from Microsoft.
 

Apathetic

Platinum Member
Dec 23, 2002
2,587
6
81
They use the PDF format because it is platform independent and you can get a free reader for just about any OS.

Dave
 

Rock Hydra

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2004
6,466
1
0
Originally posted by: Apathetic
They use the PDF format because it is platform independent and you can get a free reader for just about any OS.

Dave

I was thinking something about the same.
 
Aug 27, 2002
10,043
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Originally posted by: Apathetic
They use the PDF format because it is platform independent and you can get a free reader for just about any OS.

Dave
not to mention document security and that is easily printable unlike various other formats can be.
 

DanTMWTMP

Lifer
Oct 7, 2001
15,908
19
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Originally posted by: lobadobadingdong
Originally posted by: Apathetic
They use the PDF format because it is platform independent and you can get a free reader for just about any OS.

Dave
not to mention document security and that is easily printable unlike various other formats can be.

they speak the truth. It's very convenient for everyone along the spectrum. I just hope the acrobat program won't be as much as a resource hog in the future, although 7.0x makes huge improvements in that department.
 

CVSiN

Diamond Member
Jul 19, 2004
9,289
1
0
Originally posted by: Shawn
Almost everything is in PDF format. In my sociology class they'll scan news articles and instead of making them compressed image files they make HUGE PDF files. Usually 20+MB in size. WTF?! :|

edit: I even have teachers that convert their powerpoint presentations into PDF files. :confused:

doesnt change in the corp world either... PDFs are 90% of the format used.