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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jdrakeh" data-source="post: 4637202" data-attributes="member: 13892">Well, the first big advantage that a PDF has over a hyperlinked HTML archive that I can think of is that it's a single document. Most linked HTML archives are just that. Archives. Archives of dozens (if not hundreds) of files that make actual file organization a total pain in the ass on the same handheld devices you argue such a file format is  perfect for. I've been using handheld devices and laptops to assist with gaming for several years now, and I've come to discover a few different things. First, I'm not a fan of the crippled utility that often comes built into file management tools on handheld devices, so I would never load a copy of the Hypertext SRD and its hundreds of files onto my PDA when I can download a single searchable, bookmarked, PDF of the same text onto my PDA. I've tried using the Hypertext SRD (as well as the S&S hyperlinked SRD) on a Pocket PC 2003 device, for example, and it was a nightmare. In actual practice, I've found that a properly formatted PDF works much better. There are several PDF viewers available for handheld devices that require far fewer system resources to run than internet browsers (the default method for viewing HTML files) do. Frex, I can run the Foxit Reader on the aforementioned PDA much more efficiently than I can run an instance of IE or Opera Mobile. For some reason, otherwise nifty mobile browsers are memory hogs that slow down everything. I finally gave up on trying to get them to work efficiently. Another big advantage of PDFs that comes to mind is that PDFs allow for on-screen viewing and production quality printing. As far as I know, there is no such thing as an HTML file that flows like a printed book or can match the printed quality of a PDF. Printed HTML looks like absolute crap. Period. HTML is formatted almost exclusively for onscreen viewing, not printing. PDFs, on the other hand, are typically formatted for both. Despite your misgivings, I think you're way off base stating that it's a "fact" PDFs don't get the job done that they set out to do or that they're inferior to linked HTML archives. They actually seem to be a higher quality, multi-platform, alternative to things like HTML, while providing even more functionality (to both publishers and consumers). Given the format's functionality and quality, I think it is very unlikely that the PDF will go away in the near future.</blockquote>

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