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Multi-page PDF To Multi-page TIFF and Archiving?
GeorgeMonroy writes "One of my clients has aperture cards that they have been scanning into multi-page PDF files — but now they want them in multi-page TIFFs instead. One of the reasons they gave for this is that TIFF files require less storage space. While that is true, I wonder if TIFF is the best format going into the future. Are TIFFs better than PDFs for future use? I wonder what format you think would last longer. Are there any other formats that you think would be better or more future-proof? To me, storage is not a good enough reason to go to TIFF, because storage prices are always dropping anyway. Also, since they already have many of these files in PDF format and they want to convert them into multipage TIFFs, are there any programs that you can recommend that will perform batch processing of files so that we do not have to convert each PDF one by one? If another file format is better than TIFF, then are there any programs for batch processing that you can recommend?"
Scalar graphics work regardless of the size of your screen or resolution of your printer. These things may change drastically in the next 10 years. Bit mapped stuff already looks like poop at any but native size. A crummy 75 dpi scan is going to be the size of a postage stamp on a good monitor and it won't blow up gracefully. That might take up less storage space but the people who read it will have eyeballs that bleed and much of the size advantage is lost when you put the text in anyway. Wouldn't it be better to use software that writes high quality pdf in the first place and then just archive it?
For scientific reports, this is a big deal. Detail scales in pdf. A pdf can have eps graphs that can be place at any size and never lose any of their detail until it is printed. Don't forget about hyperlinks which most TIFFs wont' have. I can share these files as dvi, ps or pdf. Most people prefer the pdf. Converting them to TIFF would essentially ruin them.