[pdftex] expiring Acrobat documents (+ flame wars)

Welch, Ivo ivo.welch at yale.edu
Wed Jul 9 05:50:56 CEST 2003


Hi:  I would like pdflatex to create .pdf documents that expire, i.e., 
are no longer easy to view/handle for the average user.  My document is 
changing rapidly, and I do not want anyone to see the 6-month old 
version, but to download instead the later version.  Naturally, I am not 
an expert, and I was hoping someone has already produced something 
similar.  My guess is that some javascript could, after a particular 
date, put up a box on every action that says "please download the 
revised document from ... instead", and/or scramble the input itself.  I 
know it will not stop determined hackers, but this is not necessary. 
 Has anyone implemented such an item?  If not, can you recommend a good 
primer?

One comment:  I find the recent flames in this list and on comp.text.tex 
to be distressing.  Anyone who is willing to freely help the clueless 
parts of the community (like me) and who is/was willing to put in time 
to develop TeX (usually for free) deserves gratitude and appreciation. 
 I agree that some information and effort/project coordination could be 
better in a perfect world, but noone has the time and money to play 
Linus Torvalds for TeX full-time.  Please, if you want to help and/or 
join, do so in a non-combative way.  For one, contact the individuals 
personally, rather than publicly.

Thanks to all of you, whether already actively involved or involved in 
the future.

regards,

/iaw




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