[ILUG-BOM] [OT] Workshop on Embedded Systems

[Philip S Tellis]

Sometime on Jan 16, Pradeep Tapase assembled some asciibets to say:

> I am attaching a PDF file which containing a detail about Embedded

While PDF is definitely much better than Word - no macros, no redundant
data, little meta data - it is still preferable to use text pasted
inline in the mail.

The advantages:
1. It is much smaller.
   The text version of your document is 7K as opposed to 61K for your
   PDF.  Multiply this by 300 - the number of people on the list.

2. It is readable by everyone.
   I'd have to start up my X server only to read your PDF.  That's a
   waste for me, and I probably won't do it.

3. No messing around with attachments.
   Usenet is a plain text medium

4. It is incorruptible.
   If a couple of bits in your PDF get complemented, the PDF will no
   longer be readable.  The same with text, and there is very little
   data loss.


This is probably irrelevant here, but still.

5. It will stand the test of time much better.
   What happens when we come to a time when there are no pdf viewers
   available and the format is lost forever?  Reading plain text takes
   only a knowledge of the character set in use.  If that is lost, it
   won't be all that hard for a cryptanalyst to figure it out.  The same
   can't be said for a data format with structure.  We already have
   problems with the inavailability of 5 1/4" disk drives.


Ciao,

Philip

-- 
... The prejudices people feel about each other disappear when then get
to know each other.
		-- Kirk, "Elaan of Troyius", stardate 4372.5