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I posted a response to John Cornellier's inquiry (see below) that
proposed Java as a potential solution. I have received several
offline responses pointing out that there are various "off the shelf"
ways to do this using existing tools in the MS Windows environment.
This is indeed so, but the original post did not mention a specific
platform, and one of PDF's advantages is cross-platform deployment.
We are very much concerned with cross-platform compatibility here, so
the Java suggestion seemed a natural response.
However, these responses seem to indicate that some technical
communicators automatically think of Windows as *the* computing and
document distribution environment, and I find this interesting.
It appears (to me at least) that electronic document delivery is
definitely becoming a cross-platform affair, where proprietary
Microsoft software solutions will most definitely not work.
When it's time to develop new documentation and a related delivery
system, doesn't it make sense to choose technology that is easily
deployed on a cross-platform basis?
Or is this a delusion on my part? (if so, yet another of many :-) )
Keith Arnett
Technical Writer
Sterling Software, Inc./Operations Management Division
Reston VA USA
Perhaps this is a job for a Java application? Java applets by
definition do not have the ability to make changes to the local system
(such as deleting files), but Java applications do.
However, you must provide the end user with a fairly high level of trust in
order to induce him or her to download your application, since they are
giving you access to their entire local environment. In theory, you could
decide to delete your PDF file by formatting the C:\ drive (not that you
would, of course).
I suggest you consult with a Java developer about the possibilities. It
seems to me that you could create a Java application that would display
your PDF file, and then, after some predetermined time period, run an
uninstall routine that would remove both the application and the PDF file.
Good luck,
Keith Arnett
Technical Writer
Sterling Software, Inc./Operations Management Division
Reston VA USA
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Self-destructing documents
Author: John Cornellier <cornelli -at- CLAMART -dot- SRPC -dot- SLB -dot- COM> at INTERNET
Date: 6/8/98 6:48 PM
Hello
I have a PDF file I want to sell for a limited period, i.e. you use it for 30
daysand then it turns into a pumpkin or become otherwise unreadable. The medium
is PDF.
This would be like a shareware program that becomes unusable after a trial
period.Is this realistic? Obviously anyone who really wants to copy the material
will do it. They can retype it from the screen if they're so inclined. In any
case I'd l e to hear from anyone who has implemented or considered implementing
what I desc be above, whether with PDF or not.
