WWF launches PDF that cannot be printed to 'save t

[ajr]

WWF launches PDF that cannot be printed to 'save trees'
Simon Nias, printweek.com, 10 December 2010
The graphic arts industry has been dealt a major blow in its ongoing battle against the widely-held belief that print on paper is unsustainable after the WWF launched a "green file format" that cannot be printed.
The WWF format, which is simply a PDF that cannot be printed out, has been launched by the environmental group in a bid to "stop unnecessary printing and encourage a new awareness about the use of paper".

Please someone stop this madness!!!!!!!!!

Will this affect the packaging for my homeopathic remedies!

AjR

 

[ajr]

The software is only available for tree hugging Mac users at the moment. Never liked those PC users!!

AjR

 

[John W]

There is no way that a "non printing" pdf cannot be printed. There are a myriad of ways to do it depending on how it was locked etc.
John W

 

[jonkovach]

I agree - nothing is unprintable.

 

[oldschool]

Command + Shift + 3?

 

[Alith7]

ok, I'm slightly baffled.

Hasn't Adobe had that ability for years now with their PDF security? I've done it to files that I had suspicions that someone was taking my work somewhere else and wanted to stop them.

But as already mentioned, screen shot can always get around it. though I prefer cmd+shift+4 myself.

 

[james.bredenhof]

I fully support the concept of only printing documents you receive when you really need to, but the breathless sanctimonious tone of the video bugs me… and imposing a file on people where they CANNOT print (even if they need to) seems pretty harsh and inflexible and arrogant on the part of the person that sent it - I'd be angry if I got an electronic receipt in WWF format and I couldn't print it out for my insurance records.

And are PDFs really the problem? I don't think so - emails, web pages, Office docs are also major formats used for desktop printing (what I presume this is aimed at), and they have nothing to do with PDF. I think they're using PDF, only because it's a format that actually has a convenient control for this. HTML, DOC, MSG etc do not.
And the PDF "Do not print" flag? Very easy to get around.

I wouldn't use this, and I'm generally supportive of green initiatives. I doubt this will see any real-world traction. A year from now, we'll be saying "WWF what?"

On the technical aspects, I'm casually intrigued how they do it. I can't imagine that they'll introduce a new reader app/standard, since it takes years for that to take hold (see XPS). Perhaps they simply change the PDF extension to WWF, somehow map WWF extension to Acrobat on the recipient side (not sure how - perhaps they're working with Adobe?), and simply use the standard PDF "do not print" security.

 

[KevinC@EFI]

I guess the WWF isn't used to marketing to customers. I applaud their intent of bringing attention to what they perceive as an environmental issue (which is debatable to say the least), but not the method they've chosen.

Artificially limiting the application or use of something ALWAYS has repurcussions and causes user annoyance and resentment. It drives people to avoid that product altogether, or find workarounds and hacks to disable the limitation. A few of my favorite examples:

- DVD's that have unskippable content at the beginning (why do I have to watch your ads EVERY time I want to watch a DVD I paid for?)

- Digital Rights Management (DRM) for music - preventing me from playing music I paid for on my choice of devices (thankfully the industry is moving away from DRM towards watermarks - providing flexibility with accountability instead)

- CTP suppliers that don't support the use of other-brand plates on their devices.


I doubt the non-printable format will catch on - and where they use it themselves they'll just end up alienating large numbers of otherwise-happy "customers".

My $0.02 only,
Kevin.

 

[Santa]

Interesting Article

Interesting Article

The cost of saving sent e-mail - Mark Stosberg

I love when someone tells me to save a tree...don't print. I usually ask them to remove the lettuce from their sandwiches and save the cabbage!

Let's stick with mainframes and data centers over tree farms! Why have trees that produce oxygen and are renewable AND sustainable; ....instead how about an energy guzzling data center (with all those redundant backups guzzling even more energy). I'll tell my 4 year old...don't plant a tree....let's plant a data center!


As for the WWF...what does a bunch of wrestlers know anyway. (sarcasm)

 

[michaelejahn]

WWF is a PDF file made using Apple Quartz

WWF is a PDF file made using Apple Quartz

WWF launches PDF that cannot be printed to 'save trees'
Simon Nias, printweek.com, 10 December 2010

<!--- snip ---!>

Please someone stop this madness!!!!!!!!!

AjR

Save as WWF, Save a Tree :What is it?

okay, so - it uses the Apple Qurtz engine to generate a ".wwf" format, although structurally (that is, when you peek into the code of the file it creates) - it is a binary pdf ;

%PDF-1.3
%ƒÂÚÂÎßÛ†–ƒ∆
4 0 obj

now - WHY on EARTH they would chose a different suffix, i see no reason for that.

This is an PDF file that conforms to Acrobat version 4 (PDF Specification 1.3) with security settings, HARDLY a new file format !

And although the FAQ states "The WWF software will install a “SAVE AS WWF” option in the print menu. Just install the software, select this option and the document is saved in WWF format." this is actually not what you need to do - see the attached screen capture.

"from the land of bad ideas"