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Re: A page of links to PDF files

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From: ED COHEN
Date: Aug 13, 2003 3:07PM

Hi Brian,
I agree on the download issue. People won't stick around for the download unless they really want the informaton.

We are a state environmental agency so unfortunately, if you want the information we offer, you have to come to us for it. Having said that, we don't want to make it a horrible experience.

These types of reports are large and contain many graphics. Most of the graphics are important for content such as pie charts and the like.

The publications group makes them nice to look at in print using desktop publishing tools and doesn't have the resources (time) to repurpose them in HTML.

That's the rub.
Ed
>>> <EMAIL REMOVED> 8/13/03 3:19:30 PM >>>

Hi Cohen
personally I hate PDF files
the reason being if getting a PDF on the internet it takes ages to get the information required and therefore you will eventually loose customers from the user
The user wants the information yesterday
if the user requires a lot of information then it's going to take forever to download it through the internet
the internet is a vast resource of information
it has to be used to the user's requirements and when they click onto a site they want that information immediately
that's why I always check my website for any photos/graphics for the filesize and how long it would take a user to open up that certain webpage

I hope you don't mind giving you a negative reply - but criticism is the best way to improve a website
cheers
Brian
----- Original Message -----
From: ED COHEN
To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 7:34 PM
Subject: A page of links to PDF files


Hello,
Our publication's office is preparing a large report for the Web that will have an HTML table of contents. The TOC will have as many as a dozen chapters.

They say that every link on the page will lead to a PDF file. We'll list the file size of each downloadable, next to each chapter title. A link to download Acrobat Reader will appear on the page.

We are adhering to Section 508 which as you know is silent on PDF issues.

Question: How best to offer the hyperlink to the downloadable and the "PDF logo"?

Options:
1. State at the top of the page that all the links on that page lead to PDF files and place the PDF logo once. Hyperlink each chapter title to the downloadable file.

2. Place the PDF logo next to each link and make the logo a clickable graphic that downloads the file. The graphic's <ALT> would be "Download chapter # / title".

3. State at the top of the page that all the links on that page lead to PDF files. Place the PDF logo