6/15/2023 0 Comments Pdf to scribusScribus supports PDF 1.4 and the PDF/X-3 standard, and allows you to use advanced features like PDF Annotations, PDF Forms, and JavaScript. More important than my own personal disdain for word processors, though, is the fact that Scribus has the most advanced PDF creation tools of any Linux application by far. Scribus takes a big step forward in PDF support That puts them squarely in the “layout does matter” camp. Invoices and delivery memos, however, are structured documents they exist to track shipments and need to be easily readable, quickly processed and indexed, and difficult to misread. For simple note taking or file editing, word processors can slow me down with feature overhead and force me to jump through hoops to make sure the document isn’t corrupted by unnecessary reformatting or those irritating assumptions they make trying to fix things that aren’t really mistakes. I can control some layout with a word processor, but not all, and what I can control I can only control somewhat. Word processors are quite frankly an awkward hybrid of these two kinds of editors, and they impair both functions by settling halfway between them. For documents where layout does matter, I use a desktop publishing program. There are essentially two kinds of documents with which we deal on a day-to-day basis: documents in which layout and presentation matter, and documents in which they do not.įor documents in which layout does not matter, I use a text editor. To begin with, I am solidly in Richard Stallman’s camp when it comes to disdain for word processors they are widely available, but they are a solution looking for a problem. So why do I use Scribus and not a word processor? This makes PDF sufficient (if not superior) for that kind of record-keeping, as PDFs are not easily edited.Īlmost every Linux program that can print a document can export it to a PDF these days. Office documents are best suited for collaborative work where edits and changes are important, but invoices and contracts should not be subject to change once they are agreed upon. These are things that should not be altered by the receiving party. The most important documents for a small business are financial in nature: contracts, invoices, delivery memos, and receipts. As a result, I have not had to reformat and resend a single file, whereas before I was asked about once every two weeks to try to open a file that wasn’t working for a co-worker for one esoteric reason or another. It’s been years since I have had to explain to someone what a PDF is, and since migrating my paperwork to PDF no one has asked me what version of Windows or Word I use. It is an open, documented format that is completely platform-neutral - even my mobile phone comes with a PDF reader. I have cut through a lot of the document exchange traps by relying on the PDF format’s universality. PDF is one of the few document formats where Linux stands on completely equal footing with Mac OS X and Windows. This is where PDF comes into play adherence to a standard sidesteps most of these woes. Taking advantage of the fact that our interaction takes place remotely spares me from having to convert to Windows for compatibility’s sake and lets me stay with Linux, where I am more comfortable. If they can’t read something that I’ve sent them, I am going to have to send it again in a different format. I can’t physically visit most of my suppliers when there is a problem, which means that essentially I have zero control over the computers and networks of the people with whom I deal every day. As a small business owner, this is almost 100% true for me. It is a particular problem for small businesses - while a large corporation may manage a vertically integrated supply chain, most small businesses these days deal directly with vendors, suppliers, and clients, whether they are nearby geographically or - thanks to the Internet - in remote locations. Versioning and platform incompatibility is not just a daily hassle, it is one of those problems that is inherent to an ever-changing marketplace. Regardless of which industry a business is in, one of the most important migration issues they all have in common is document exchange. It’s universally readable, there is no sacrifice on quality, and as a bonus I get to do my work in Linux.īecause every business is different, some are going to have an easier time migrating their offices to Linux than others. Two months ago I migrated all of my office paperwork over to PDF format designed with the open source Scribus, and I haven’t looked back. I am a small business owner, and like many self-employed Linux enthusiasts, I am constantly drawn to open source solutions to small business issues.
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