[tex-live] [pdftex] PDF 1.5 by default in TL 2010

[Ulrich Dirr]

Hi Karl,

>>     If you want to produce files that conform to ISO standards like
PDF/X-3
>>     (which is widely spread in printing industry) or PDF/X-1a (mainly for
>>     archiving purposes) files in PDF 1.5 won't pass.
> 
> Sure, but as I understand it, pdftex does not now produce output
> conformant with those ISO standards, so changing the default PDF version
> won't affect the issue.
> 
> I surely agree it would be desirable to support those output formats,
> but, as I expect you and most people here know, changing the PDF version
> is a tiny part of the job.  I can imagine that when PDF/X* is really
> supported, a different .fmt will be desirable anyway.
> 
> In any case, the reason to switch to 1.5 is to meaningfully reduce
> output size in the usual case, which does not involve PDF/X.  It is what
> just about every other document production system does these days.

Footnote:
(BTW I'm producing tex files that pass standard validation tests of
PDF/X-3.) 

But true when not producing files for printing a default which produces
smaller pdf files will please the "average" user (including myself) :-) I
also didn't want to discuss the pro and cons of this or that standard but
only answer your question. As already written someone who needs a certain
standard for professional printing will know how to do so ...

Best regards,
Ulrich