Interactive PDF vs. Web Site

[iamthewalrus]

Maybe I should have asked this question before going down the Interactive PDF route but I was just wondering what people's thoughts were on why you would produce an Interactive PDF rather than a website?

Obviously it will depend on the circumstances but what are people's thoughts around the benefits that a PDF brings over a web site? When asked through work I always mention that hosting costs of a web site are removed when using a PDF but what else is there?

Thanks.

PS. if this question is in the wrong place I'm happy to move it...

[jeanette614]

Personally, I like the pdf best. If it's a form for a client, it can be opened with the free Adobe Reader. They can fill it in, save a copy for their files, digitally sign the form, post comments on the form, share it with others, and email it in to who ever needs to have that completed pdf back. The pdf can then be saved into the client's file by the receiver. To me, that's a no brainer over a web form unless you need to do data capture from the web form. I have been telling local doctor's offices that they should make their new client forms in a fillable pdf on an electronic pad like an iPad to do away with all that trying to fill out a form manually on that clip board system they currently have.

When I retire, I will try and make that into an income producing idea as an independent designer.

Just my opinion.

[Former Community Member]

Hi,

   PDF interactive documents were not intended to be the alternative of web based applications. There will be legality involved when you intend to convert paper based to electronic version. And, what ever the user typed in a pdf, digitally signed should be a legal proof even after 100 years like how a normal hard copy will be a legal proof. This cannot be achieved with normal web based screens, as the softwares change, Operating systems change, from time to time and it may get tough to find whether the website based proof can be trustable or not.

   But, PDFs got approved universally and once a pdf document is preserved as an archive file, no matter what change you see in the technology after decades, the archive file will look exactly the same as you see today.

Hope your question is answered.

Regards,

Chaitanya