For the most part, even the least technically knowledgeable person you know has heard of and has used a PDF file at some point in the last 20+ years. I’m amazed at how many people can’t distinguish the difference between their web browser and the Internet, but they know how to use a PDF document.
Adobe’s PDF (Portable Document Format) files weren’t always well known, and in the beginning
I remember when Adobe announced the format. I was working as a designer for local newspapers and small businesses and immediately thought “great, another file format to deal with.” Working with computers was difficult enough, the last thing anyone wanted was a completely new file format that wasn’t editable and didn’t appear to serve any purpose.
Little did I know that the
janky postscript-based file
format I was hearing about
would turn the industry
I’m in upside down.
Today, I love the PDF format, with all its flexibility and quirks. The various incantations of the PDF file formats make my life a whole lot easier. And I have the IRS to thank for it.
What started as one basic file format, has turned into a multitude of options for almost any use case.
Not much has changed, other than there are updated formats available and pretty much everyone can work with the latest versions now. Most computers ship with either Adobe’s official Acrobat Reader app, or some other app that can open PDF files.