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Use Adobe Reader 7 with JavaScript disabled
Authored by: alblue on Jun 04, '05 09:36:12AM

I have to agree with the original poster -- that JavaScript should be disabled by default; or at least, on a per-document basis the user can be asked 'Do you want to enable JavaScript for this document?'

The fact that one *can* do things with JavaScript in a PDF document doesn't mean that one *should* do things with JavaScript. After all, PDF is not Flash -- it's meant to be a static resource for documentation, in a device-independent and operating-system independent way.

Arguing that turning off JavaScript breaks functionality is only true for those documents that need JavaScript -- for all other docs, it doesn't make any difference. Plus, there are a bunch of nasty things that *any* macro language can do; for example, access remote URLs to 'track' a document; prevent certain aspects of a document from working (e.g. preventing printing, that kind of thing).

An interactive document is much better delivered as a set of web pages, not a PDF.

Having said that, you can do a sick amount of things with JavaScript in PDFs, as this PDF calulator shows: http://www.tug.org/applications/pdftex/calculat.pdf. Note that it won't work correctly in Preview, since that doesn't support JavaScript (fortunately).



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Use Adobe Reader 7 with JavaScript disabled
Authored by: prodok on Jun 10, '05 03:38:47AM

Everyone is allowed to have his opinion, and there is nothing against the opinion to have JavaScript deactivated. Simply do it, and get happy... until you run into some trouble...

The idea that PDF is "meant to be a static resource for documentation" is one of the big misconceptions about PDF out there. the "static" aspect may have been true in early versions ... about 10 years ago. But since then, PDF has proven to be more than that. It is now now allow for interactivity, but still in a device-independent and operating system-independent way. And that with all the advantages of the PDF format (integrity of contents, integrity of presentation).

The argument for "tracking" documents mention badly designed document control systems. In fact, a good system gives permissions to do something, such as printing. And restricting certain things from working may absolutely and well be in the intention of the document owner. Note, because of the capability of PDF to make legally binding documents, such control features are needed.

Suggesting to deliver interactive documents as a set of web pages is most likely a sign of not knowing better. Haven't we talked about "platform-independent" before? And, experience shows that developing interactive documents of a certain level of sophistication (that would already apply for a medium complex form) takes easily 2 to 4 times longer (and therefore costs 2 to 4 times more) in HTML than in PDF ... and if we look at Java, we may easily get a factor 10...




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