In the modern era, new solutions swiftly replace older ones as users continuously seek advancements. The invention of new software often revolutionizes entire industries, forcing them to abandon previously accepted standards. Just because modern alternatives are getting popular doesn’t mean PDF has become outdated. Despite this rapid progress in the field of information technology, the PDF format has been successfully conquering the market for more than 30 years. And for the last 15 years, it has been the undisputed leader in its market niche. What is the secret of its success?
In today’s article, we are going to discuss some important points to rationalize why PDF is not a thing of the past. studying these points can help you understand the secret of the success of PDF. Let’s start.
What Makes PDF Technologies Successful?
Today, the PDF format has been accepted as a standard in many areas of human life, including business, public administration, education, etc. However, to achieve such recognition and popularity, PDF had to bypass competitors that were initially more entrenched in the market. How did this become possible? The secret is that the inventors of PDF managed to not only offer an effective technological solution but also unite a passionate community of enthusiasts around PDF. They began to improve the PDF file format and promote its distribution.
Perfectly Implemented Technical Solution
The emergence of Portable Document Format (PDF) was determined by the desire to find a solution to a problem that plagued most users in the early 90s of the 20th century. Communication between users became more difficult with the proliferation of alternative file formats. Many users could not open the files they needed simply because the required software was not installed on their devices. Even if it was, but the document was typed in an older or newer version of the program, issues still could arise.
That is why the PDF format was initially designed to be cross-platform, which allowed users to open these files on any device and in any browser. The developers coped with this task perfectly, and this became one of the main advantages of PDF. As a result, the world has received a format that unites users.
Open Standard as a Development Accelerator
The second key component of PDF’s success was the waiver of proprietary rights. Many companies that bring new technologies to market retain these rights. They help earn a lot of money from sales but adversely affect the development of these technologies. In contrast, the PDF specifications were made available for improvement by many talented development teams thanks to open standards and granting the right to use these specifications. As a consequence of these improvements, anyone can use any free online PDF converter, PDF editor, and other PDF tools.
Advantages of PDF That Make It Indispensable
Fixed Layout Format
Even though the world is moving towards a paperless office, many documents still require printing. And if the file format you use has flexible page layouts, printing documents can be a real pain. A PDF file eliminates this problem and allows you to achieve consistency when printing documents.
This is important not only for official papers such as agreements, applications, etc. but also for the publishing industry since the visual presentation of content is important for its perception. Therefore, publishers of magazines, books, and other printed materials prefer PDF as it reliably captures their page design ideas.
Interactivity
Modern methods of communication are much more developed than before. Therefore, the exclusively textual form of presenting information often seems insufficient. This applies to the media, education, business, etc. In this regard, Portable Document Format provides huge advantages since it allows the user to create an interactive PDF. In this case, the file becomes an ideal platform for communication because the following elements can be added:
- Comments
- Annotations
- Buttons
- Hyperlinks
- Video
- Images
- Polls
- Quizzes and more
High Level of Protection
PDF uses go beyond sharing publicly available materials. This format is often used for private purposes and business negotiations when you need to maintain information confidentiality.
The popularity of PDF for sending and storing sensitive information is explained by its high level of protection. You can protect your PDF file with a password, and even if attackers can get your file, they will not be able to open it. In addition, you can install partial protection on your documents, prohibiting their copying or modification.
Possibility of E-signing
In the early stages of its popularization, PDF was perceived primarily as a format for reading fixed content. However, users can not only easily edit or create PDF files but also e-sign them. Thanks to this, PDF is the No. 1 format in government agencies, businesses, and other areas where documents must be certified with a signature.
Easy Conversion
PDF can act as a kind of bridge between files of different types. With the help of free PDF converters, you can convert a PDF file to many other popular formats. This makes it indispensable when you want to install only a minimum set of software on your device. Thanks to a PDF converter, you do not need to install numerous plugins to open all formats ― simply convert the file to PDF and easily work with it on your device.
Universal Compatibility
One of the standout features of the PDF format is its universal compatibility. PDF files can be opened and viewed on any device, regardless of the operating system or software installed. This eliminates the common problem of document formatting issues when files are shared between different users or viewed across various platforms.
Taking a step back to consider all these advantages, it’s clear why PDFs are so valuable. These documents help us share and use information easily and safely, no matter where we are or what device we’re using. It’s like having a Swiss Army knife for our documents, making PDFs a key player in how we communicate and work today.
Read also: How to Convert Image to Text Using OCR Technology
Final Thoughts
PDF’s enduring success in the market highlights an important principle of leadership in a highly competitive environment. If you want technology to evolve and spread, make it publicly available through open standard principles. In this case, many independent development teams will begin to work on its improvement. The result is technology that meets the needs of a wide range of users.
