On 30 Apr 2003, at 8:55, Collette McNeill wrote:

> At 01:27 PM 4/29/03 -1000, David Jones wrote:
> >Now a PDF I could read, but if I was getting mail over a
> >dialup connection, I might be pretty unhappy waiting for
> >it to download! Of course, that depends also on the size
> >of the PDF file. We have a designer here who takes the
> >PDF route, wanted to email a 4MB PDF attachment ... she
> >did that, once, to all 1600 staff members we have here
> >... not something you want to do every day!
> 
> If the question really is how to send the artist's work
> out as-is vs. how to teach the artist to come up with
> designs that will be communicated to the most people, then
> I want to weigh in again and say that many, many people
> are admonished NOT to open email attachments from
> unexpected sources - even if it's "from" someone you know.

Very true! Also, some corporate mail systems strip all 
attachments.

> If the goal is to send out formatted email in a marketing
> effort, PDF will NOT get you the results you want. File
> sizes are simply too big for graphics-intensive designs,
> people don't trust or appreciate email attachments they're
> not expecting, and there's no chance for a first
> impression - that split second between seeing the
> marketing piece on the screen and clicking the delete
> button where you MIGHT get someone's attention.
> 
> If the goal is to produce a web page that incorporates or
> highlights the artist's work, then again PDF is simply not
> a viable option.  File size aside, an entirely different
> application must open to view a PDF document - which takes
> a long time to launch - and PDF isn't pretty or very
> readable on a screen.

Strange, it's always looked fine to me on screen. After 
all, that's really what PDF is designed for!

> > > I agree with the other person who recommended a PDF
> > > attachment; it's the only way the designer will have
> > > full control, and it saves you the trouble of
> > > presenting a technical explanation.
> 
> I think the problem isn't that the artist wants to keep
> control, but rather that the artist isn't helping the

I'd say that ego gratification is more important to the 
designer than a successful website.

David
dvjones(at)ksbe.edu
 

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