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Frequently Asked Questions about PDF

The following questions have been compiled from various Email questions and posts from our old discussion boards regarding PDF. PDF (Portable Document Format) is the basic file format we use in producing our gayfiction eBooks.

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Questions
Click on the question you wish answered, you will then be taken to the answer. A link below each answer will return you to this point.

1. What is PDF?
2. Do I need anything on my computer to open a PDF file?
3. I already have a version of the Reader on my machine. Will this do?
4. I have other PDF documents on my computer. What will happen to them if I download the newest Reader version?
5. I can view the stories online. Why would I buy the book/PDF format?
6. How long will it take to print a copy of a book?
7. What will it cost me to print a book?
8. How long does it take to download a book?
9. The print is too small for me, can I adjust its size or what?
10. Are these stories really formatted like books?
11. So, to all intents and purposes, I am buying a book?
12. Can I read these eBooks on my handheld device?

Answers

PDF (Portable Document Format) is a file format developed by Adobe® Systems Incorporated. Its purpose is to ensure that the format of the document is maintained across different computer platforms and configurations. It does this by embedding all the elements of the document into the file—all fonts used to produce the text, all graphic elements, etc. When viewed on screen, or printed, the document will be reproduced exactly as intended. It has become a standard way of sharing documents where it is important to preserve the document’s format. Since we want to preserve the format of these stories in ‘book’ format, we have used PDF as the file format.

PDF files require that you have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your machine. This is a free program, produced by Adobe. The easiest way to obtain a copy is to visit http://www.adobe.com. This is the Adobe home page, and the current version of the Acrobat Reader is available for downloading from there. The download link is in the lower right hand corner of the page.

Only if your version is the current version, Version 6.0. You can tell which version you have by starting your copy of the Reader and note the Version number that displays on the splash page. If you have an older version, you will need to download the current Reader version from the Adobe home page. You will not be able to view, or print, your copy of the purchased book with any earlier version of the Reader

Nothing, they will still be viewable. Adobe maintains strict upward compatibility with the PDF file format. That is, PDFs produced in an earlier version of the file format are always viewable with the current version of the Reader.

The first is that once you download the PDF file, you can read the story, at your leisure, without being connected to the Net. Each Chapter of a book is ‘bookmarked.’ This means that by clicking on a chapter, you can go directly to that chapter. The Reader also allows you to place your own ‘bookmark’ so that you can always come back to the point where you left off. The second reason is that you may print a copy of the book. Let’s face it, curling up in your favorite chair to read is a little hard to do with a computer, even if you have a laptop. Printing a copy will allow you to take the story with you, wherever that may be.

The books average 200 pluis pages in length; some are shorter, some are longer. The amount of time it takes to print one will be determined by your printer. Once past the cover page, the books consist of text, which should maximize the printing speed from any printer. The books are also formatted with 2-sided printing in mind. It is not necessary to print on both sides of a page, but for those with printers that can do this, the amount of paper required will be minimized. Note that the Reader supports printing page ranges. Therefore, it is not necessary to print the whole book in one operation. You can print a book over the course of a few evenings.

The cost of printing is determined by two things: the cost of the paper, and the cost of the ink or toner cartridge your printer uses. Paper cost will be determined by the quality of the paper and where you buy it. The cost of the ink or toner is largely set by your printer manufacturer. However, you can usually find these items offered at a discount through various on-line merchants. To determine the actual cost, note the number of pages of the book you’re interested in (each book has the number of pages listed). This becomes the amount of paper the book requires. Next, check your printer manual to see how many pages, total, your ink cartridge or toner cartridge normally prints. The book will represent some fraction of that number. That fraction is also the fraction of the cost of the cartridge the book represents. It is also possible to find a commercial printing service that can print from a PDF file. Check their prices carefully, however. One service we checked with wanted a 10¢ per page ‘rendering’ charge and another 8¢ per printed page if printed 1-sided or 15¢ per page if printed 2-sided. You might be able to find a much better service.

Download time will depend on the speed of your connection. We have tried to keep the PDF file size to a minimum (each book also has its PDF file size listed). Even with a 28.8 dial-up modem connection, download time should only be a few minutes. Each PDF file is further compressed by being downloaded in a 'zip file' to help maintain as small a file as possible. Each download will show you an 'estimated' time if you are using a 28.8 or 56.6k modem connection.

One of the reasons we have used the Adobe product is that the Free Reader does indeed allow you to adjust the presentation size of the text. You can enlarge it quite a lot if you want, or even make it smaller. You are also able to adjust the print size too so if you need extra large print, unlike normal paperbacks, you don't need to go out and look for the book in large type, simply adjust the font size in the print options and away you go. Remember though, increasing the print font size will also greatly increase your printable pages.

Yes, they are. Even though you will probably use regular 8 ½ x 11 paper to print, the printed area conforms to what you would find in a published book. This is quite deliberate on our part. It is a style that most people expect, and accept, in a book. If we’ve done our job right, the format will not detract from your reading enjoyment of the stories. For any book, it’s the story that you read and appreciate, not the format. It is entirely possible, using the ‘normal’ print size book, to have the resulting printed book cut and bound adding it to your book collection.

Yes. The only difference is that you have to print the book, using your own supplies, if you choose to do so. And, as with every other book you buy, you are getting copyrighted material. This means that you cannot print copies for re-sale, just as you cannot copy a published book and re-sell those copies. We expect that you will treat the PDF you download just as you would a published book

The safest answer is NO, not at this particular time.

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