Subject: Re: Annual reports online sho... From: PJacobson@aol.com Date: Tue, 18 Jul 1995 02:44:32 -0400

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Mark Choate  of The News & Observer  is: 
>>... looking into the possibility of using PDF files to enable us to put
our display recruitment advertising on the Web. ... We've found that simply
scanning an ad (or a company report, for that matter) and putting it on-line
as a GIF file makes for an entirely illegible document.<<

Mark, 
  You do not need to create a gif that  is 100 % of life size. A larger GIF
image -- maybe 200% or 300% of live size -- would improve the readablility,
but it would also be a larger file to send. 
  While it is certainly possible to do this with GIF editing programs,
personally I'd do the quick trick of using my photocopy machine to enlarge
those 1, 2 and 3 column display ads onto 8 1/2 x 11 paper, and then scan that
enlarged photocopy.
   If you wish to display more than straight ASCII, consider some other
possibilities besides GIF and PDF. For example: 
    1. You could store the ads in a common word-processing format, like Word,
or WordPerfect. These files are reasonably compact, can handle imported
images, and can be read by most computer users with software they already
own, and probably use frequently. (Almost a zero learning curve for your
readers). To cover as many bases as possible, store the ads as files in both
Word Perfect format, AND Word format. While you are editing these files you
can also save a copy of just the text of the ad in ascii format with just a
few mouse clicks. In this way you can cover a lot of bases. 
   2. Consider scanning, storing, and transmitting  the images in TIFF
format, or fax format. You do not need color, and I'd guess that you have few
color adds in classified, anyhow. Storing the files in a format that is
compatile with fax machines has a few advantages.    You eliminate a lot of
guesswork here. The quality, speed of transmission, and convenience are a
given. People have actually bought faxes, and they like  using them. You can
find data on their currrent use, and base your plans on that. 
    Speed: A fax file of a full sheet of typing paper transmits in about a
minute or less.
   Compatibility: Most people have fax modems. When they got those modems
they got a basic fax program with them, so they already have the software for
viewing the images.
   If you have already enlarged your ads with the photocopier, you can use a
fax machine to scan these things. 
   If you decide at some later date to offer a faxback service in additon to
your online display of these things, you will already have a a database
stuffed with these things. A faxback service would let you send to faxmodems,
and also to stand-alone faxmachines.









































































































































































































































































































































































































































From owner-online-news-digest@marketplace.com Tue Jul 18 13:40:34 1995
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