Recognizing the importance of text file formats and using the right one

For over a decade, there has been a debate about which is the best le format to use when editing digital documents. The answer, despite what many think, is simple and everyone wins. The thing is that there isn’t an all-powerful file format for documents because there are different types of documents and different places in which documents can end up.

Let’s take a look at PDF

That being said, some formats are better than others for certain purposes whereas others are superior in other situations. To take a specific example, we can look at the PDF format which is used commercially by everyone that wants to release a document containing more than just plain text.

Some people are turned off to the idea of using PDF over the Word format which they have grown so accustomed to, but that’s just because they have some unfounded concerns such as believing that editing pdf documents is harder than editing Word documents for instance. That isn’t quite true, as pdf files can be just as easily manipulated.

So what makes PDF better than Word?

Good question. The situations in which PDF is better than Word or any other format for that matter are the situations in which the user needs not only text but also imagery and graphical elements. Just imagine the inside of a magazine or even some books. There’s more than just text there. Some have pictures or other graphical elements. Some publications like to get fancy and have graphical elements go underneath or above text in certain ways that really add a special something to the page. That can’t be replicated in another format so people choose PDF to transform these books and magazines into digital format.

The digital publication industry has grown considerably since we’ve first laid eyes on e-books and such, and it would be unwise not to use the best tools to craft something that everyone is after at the moment. As far as books go, many people prefer digital books today because they can easily be stored on a tablet or even smartphone and be at the ready wherever, whenever.

Conclusion

While there is a place and time for most formats, it is important to recognize which is able to do the best job in a certain situation and use that one instead of a more attractive alternative. In this context, a more attractive alternative could be a format that for the user might just seem easier to use or easier to understand. While these things are relative, making the extra effort to go the correct path and not the easy one will reflect in the overall quality of the final product and how it is receive.