From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design


I tend to use the obsolescent Seamonkey for browsing, unless
forced otherwise. Firefox will then usually answer in that case,
though even they have recently refused to maintain compatibility
with older (my) operating systems; something about TLS changes.

Today I was pulling old data sheets from the Analog Devices
website - the pages of which Seamonkey can now only display
as text indexing, so resorting to Firefox:

- Using Firefox I got denied access to the direct .pdf links.
- Using Seamonkey, the downloads progressed without issues.

. . . this all in now-venerable W7 OS.

Any speculation about what's tripping up the 'compatible' browser?
Are recent security changes tripping over themselves in maintaining
basic function?

RL
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:40:30 -0400, legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca> wrote:

I tend to use the obsolescent Seamonkey for browsing, unless
forced otherwise. Firefox will then usually answer in that case,
though even they have recently refused to maintain compatibility
with older (my) operating systems; something about TLS changes.

Today I was pulling old data sheets from the Analog Devices
website - the pages of which Seamonkey can now only display
as text indexing, so resorting to Firefox:

- Using Firefox I got denied access to the direct .pdf links.
- Using Seamonkey, the downloads progressed without issues.

. . . this all in now-venerable W7 OS.

Any speculation about what's tripping up the 'compatible' browser?
Are recent security changes tripping over themselves in maintaining
basic function?

RL

Firefox under Win11 is pretty good. It wants to update fairly often
but doesn't seem to change much. It doesn't crash. It opens PDFs just
fine.

Some of the add-ins are good too.

I really miss Win7. It did everything right.


John Larkin
Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center
Lunatic Fringe Electronics
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On 8/3/2026 12:40 PM, legg wrote:

I tend to use the obsolescent Seamonkey for browsing, unless
forced otherwise. Firefox will then usually answer in that case,
though even they have recently refused to maintain compatibility
with older (my) operating systems; something about TLS changes.

Today I was pulling old data sheets from the Analog Devices
website - the pages of which Seamonkey can now only display
as text indexing, so resorting to Firefox:

- Using Firefox I got denied access to the direct .pdf links.
- Using Seamonkey, the downloads progressed without issues.

. . . this all in now-venerable W7 OS.

How out-of-date is your Firefox release? I noticed lots of problems
accessing "mainstream" sites using Ffox under W7 and grudgingly updated
to W10 -- which I am now abandoning in favor of FBSD.

[Note that the only apps I run on an out-facing machine are Ffox & Tbird]

The "problem" is related to changes in those sites as Ffox was quite
happy with most other sites visited.

[No doubt some IT dweeb decided to update the corporate site without
concern for the folks who might be accessing it -- nor the skill
to be able to push a notice to "unsupported browsers"]

Have you tried wget(1)? It likely will give you more clues...

Any speculation about what's tripping up the 'compatible' browser?
Are recent security changes tripping over themselves in maintaining
basic function?

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On 03/08/2026 20:40, legg wrote:

I tend to use the obsolescent Seamonkey for browsing, unless
forced otherwise. Firefox will then usually answer in that case,
though even they have recently refused to maintain compatibility
with older (my) operating systems; something about TLS changes.

Today I was pulling old data sheets from the Analog Devices
website - the pages of which Seamonkey can now only display
as text indexing, so resorting to Firefox:

- Using Firefox I got denied access to the direct .pdf links.
- Using Seamonkey, the downloads progressed without issues.

. . . this all in now-venerable W7 OS.

Any speculation about what's tripping up the 'compatible' browser?
Are recent security changes tripping over themselves in maintaining
basic function?

RL

Get a fee pdf reader?
--
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

"TTman" <kraken.sankey@gmail.com> wrote in message news:114r1nd$1lv9b$1@dont-email.me...

On 03/08/2026 20:40, legg wrote:

I tend to use the obsolescent Seamonkey for browsing, unless
forced otherwise. Firefox will then usually answer in that case,
though even they have recently refused to maintain compatibility
with older (my) operating systems; something about TLS changes.

Today I was pulling old data sheets from the Analog Devices
website - the pages of which Seamonkey can now only display
as text indexing, so resorting to Firefox:

- Using Firefox I got denied access to the direct .pdf links.
- Using Seamonkey, the downloads progressed without issues.

. . . this all in now-venerable W7 OS.

Any speculation about what's tripping up the 'compatible' browser?
Are recent security changes tripping over themselves in maintaining
basic function?

RL

Get a fee pdf reader?

I generally tell Firefox to open pdfs in Foxit reader.

--
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On Tue, 4 Aug 2026 18:50:03 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"TTman" <kraken.sankey@gmail.com> wrote in message news:114r1nd$1lv9b$1@dont-email.me...

On 03/08/2026 20:40, legg wrote:

I tend to use the obsolescent Seamonkey for browsing, unless
forced otherwise. Firefox will then usually answer in that case,
though even they have recently refused to maintain compatibility
with older (my) operating systems; something about TLS changes.

Today I was pulling old data sheets from the Analog Devices
website - the pages of which Seamonkey can now only display
as text indexing, so resorting to Firefox:

- Using Firefox I got denied access to the direct .pdf links.
- Using Seamonkey, the downloads progressed without issues.

. . . this all in now-venerable W7 OS.

Any speculation about what's tripping up the 'compatible' browser?
Are recent security changes tripping over themselves in maintaining
basic function?

RL

Get a fee pdf reader?

I generally tell Firefox to open pdfs in Foxit reader.

If all you want to do is read PDF's, the free Foxit reader is good
enough:
<https://www.foxit.com/pdf-reader/>

However, to edit PDF's with Foxit, one needs to pay for a subscription
to Foxit PDF Editor for $130 per user per year. <https://www.foxit.com/pdf-editor/pricing/

Methinks that's a rather expensive replacement for Windoze Notepad.
--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272 AE6KS 831-336-2558

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:40:30 -0400, legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca> wrote:

I tend to use the obsolescent Seamonkey for browsing, unless
forced otherwise. Firefox will then usually answer in that case,
though even they have recently refused to maintain compatibility
with older (my) operating systems; something about TLS changes.

Today I was pulling old data sheets from the Analog Devices
website - the pages of which Seamonkey can now only display
as text indexing, so resorting to Firefox:

- Using Firefox I got denied access to the direct .pdf links.
- Using Seamonkey, the downloads progressed without issues.

. . . this all in now-venerable W7 OS.

Any speculation about what's tripping up the 'compatible' browser?
Are recent security changes tripping over themselves in maintaining
basic function?

RL

Try opening a PDF by:

- Find the PDF file.
- Right click and select "Open With".
- Select "Firefox" and see what happens.
- If Firefox is not listed under "open with", again under "chose
another app".

If you can open the PDF file using "open with" but not by double
clicking the PDF file, then you need change or fix the "default app"
for PDF. For Windoze 7:
"Windows 7: How to change the default program for a file" <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I47OrTxKa6E> (0:48)
--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272 AE6KS 831-336-2558

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On Tue, 04 Aug 2026 17:19:26 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
wrote:

Methinks that's a rather expensive replacement for Windoze Notepad.

Oops. That's wrong. I managed to mix the questions on Old OS with a
previous question on Notepad replacement.
--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272 AE6KS 831-336-2558

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

"Jeff Liebermann" <jeffl@cruzio.com> wrote in message news:9ev47lhebi2ggu364oc0mgjc32io1alk7s@4ax.com...

On Tue, 4 Aug 2026 18:50:03 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"TTman" <kraken.sankey@gmail.com> wrote in message news:114r1nd$1lv9b$1@dont-email.me...

On 03/08/2026 20:40, legg wrote:

I tend to use the obsolescent Seamonkey for browsing, unless
forced otherwise. Firefox will then usually answer in that case,
though even they have recently refused to maintain compatibility
with older (my) operating systems; something about TLS changes.

Today I was pulling old data sheets from the Analog Devices
website - the pages of which Seamonkey can now only display
as text indexing, so resorting to Firefox:

- Using Firefox I got denied access to the direct .pdf links.
- Using Seamonkey, the downloads progressed without issues.

. . . this all in now-venerable W7 OS.

Any speculation about what's tripping up the 'compatible' browser?
Are recent security changes tripping over themselves in maintaining
basic function?

RL

Get a fee pdf reader?

I generally tell Firefox to open pdfs in Foxit reader.

If all you want to do is read PDF's, the free Foxit reader is good
enough:
<https://www.foxit.com/pdf-reader/>

However, to edit PDF's with Foxit, one needs to pay for a subscription
to Foxit PDF Editor for $130 per user per year. <https://www.foxit.com/pdf-editor/pricing/

I've never done that.
pdfs are not for editing, just for distributing when you've done the editing with something else.

Methinks that's a rather expensive replacement for Windoze Notepad.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272 AE6KS 831-336-2558

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On 8/4/2026 6:03 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

However, to edit PDF's with Foxit, one needs to pay for a subscription
to Foxit PDF Editor for $130 per user per year.
<https://www.foxit.com/pdf-editor/pricing/

I've never done that.
pdfs are not for editing, just for distributing when you've done the editing with something else.

You're missing out on lots of possibilities! I use Acrobat
but imagine other tools have similar capabilities.

The local university has a surplus equipment auction each month
(or more often). They distribute a PDF with images of each
lot, a cover letter explaining the terms and a space beneath
each photo for a bidder to enter a bid amount.

You can print this. Write your bid amounts. Sign it.
Scan it. And email/fax it back to them (to save the trip).

OR, you can "open for editing", pick an appropriate typeface/size,
TYPE your bid amounts, name, address, phone, etc. along with
an image of your handwritten signature. "Save" and then email
as attachment.

Keep a copy for your records, sidestepping all of the intermediate
paper handling.

Likewise for tax and other "legal" forms. Less risk of someone
misreading a sloppy '8' for a '6', etc. Or, an 'l' for an 'I'.

Take paper forms, scan them to PDF and annotate those documents...

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:114u2um$2js0g$1@dont-email.me...

On 8/4/2026 6:03 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

However, to edit PDF's with Foxit, one needs to pay for a subscription
to Foxit PDF Editor for $130 per user per year.
<https://www.foxit.com/pdf-editor/pricing/

I've never done that.
pdfs are not for editing, just for distributing when you've done the editing with something else.

You're missing out on lots of possibilities! I use Acrobat
but imagine other tools have similar capabilities.

I've never bothered with Acrobat but I have used this to make pdfs https://tcpdf.org/
That way I can make them on the fly with information from a database.
There appears to be something called ReportLab for Python but
I haven't so far had a need to use it.

The local university has a surplus equipment auction each month
(or more often). They distribute a PDF with images of each
lot, a cover letter explaining the terms and a space beneath
each photo for a bidder to enter a bid amount.

You can print this. Write your bid amounts. Sign it.
Scan it. And email/fax it back to them (to save the trip).

OR, you can "open for editing", pick an appropriate typeface/size,
TYPE your bid amounts, name, address, phone, etc. along with
an image of your handwritten signature. "Save" and then email
as attachment.

Keep a copy for your records, sidestepping all of the intermediate
paper handling.

Likewise for tax and other "legal" forms. Less risk of someone
misreading a sloppy '8' for a '6', etc. Or, an 'l' for an 'I'.

Take paper forms, scan them to PDF and annotate those documents...

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On 8/4/2026 6:45 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:114u2um$2js0g$1@dont-email.me...

On 8/4/2026 6:03 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

However, to edit PDF's with Foxit, one needs to pay for a subscription >>>> to Foxit PDF Editor for $130 per user per year.
<https://www.foxit.com/pdf-editor/pricing/

I've never done that.
pdfs are not for editing, just for distributing when you've done the editing with something else.

You're missing out on lots of possibilities! I use Acrobat
but imagine other tools have similar capabilities.

I've never bothered with Acrobat but I have used this to make pdfs https://tcpdf.org/
That way I can make them on the fly with information from a database.
There appears to be something called ReportLab for Python but
I haven't so far had a need to use it.

There are a number of "PDF printers" that can be plumbed to the
printer output to package the content appropriately.

[I embed audio, video, binaries, animations, etc. in my PDFs so it's
more of a "convenient container" with a pretty cover letter.]

My scanners are typically configured to produce PDFs so I
open them and mark them up, as appropriate. E.g., I use
PDFs as one would use (manilla) file folders in ages past;
I have one called "Prescriptions XXXX" (X being the year)
into which I append scans of all prescriptions; another
for each bank/brokerage/investment account; etc.

So, instead of a shitload of individual scanned pages that have
to be aggregated in a folder/archive, it's just a single file
that I can thumb through.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:114u532$2kbns$1@dont-email.me...

On 8/4/2026 6:45 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:114u2um$2js0g$1@dont-email.me...

On 8/4/2026 6:03 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

However, to edit PDF's with Foxit, one needs to pay for a subscription >>>>> to Foxit PDF Editor for $130 per user per year.
<https://www.foxit.com/pdf-editor/pricing/

I've never done that.
pdfs are not for editing, just for distributing when you've done the editing with something else.

You're missing out on lots of possibilities! I use Acrobat
but imagine other tools have similar capabilities.

I've never bothered with Acrobat but I have used this to make pdfs
https://tcpdf.org/
That way I can make them on the fly with information from a database.
There appears to be something called ReportLab for Python but
I haven't so far had a need to use it.

There are a number of "PDF printers" that can be plumbed to the
printer output to package the content appropriately.

I frequently print to pdf and sometimes to XPS.
Microsoft hid one or both of those in turn windows features on or off.

[I embed audio, video, binaries, animations, etc. in my PDFs so it's
more of a "convenient container" with a pretty cover letter.]

My scanners are typically configured to produce PDFs so I
open them and mark them up, as appropriate. E.g., I use
PDFs as one would use (manilla) file folders in ages past;
I have one called "Prescriptions XXXX" (X being the year)
into which I append scans of all prescriptions; another
for each bank/brokerage/investment account; etc.

So, instead of a shitload of individual scanned pages that have
to be aggregated in a folder/archive, it's just a single file
that I can thumb through.

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On 8/4/2026 7:21 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

I've never bothered with Acrobat but I have used this to make pdfs
https://tcpdf.org/
That way I can make them on the fly with information from a database.
There appears to be something called ReportLab for Python but
I haven't so far had a need to use it.

There are a number of "PDF printers" that can be plumbed to the
printer output to package the content appropriately.

I frequently print to pdf and sometimes to XPS.
Microsoft hid one or both of those in turn windows features on or off.

I've never used XPS and assume its just MS's attempt to try to create
a different standard.

I have a variety of different windows and *BSD tools that let me
create and modify PDFs. But, my "go to" tool is Acrobat as it
seems to support all of the features available to PDFs, natively.

As with all Adobe products, the UI is quirky but likely makes
sense to *someone* who created it. You just have to learn what's where.

It is very convenient for creating PDFs without any fuss
(e.g., I can select several files in Windows Explorer and
then say "combine in Acrobat" and end up with a document
containing them. And, let *it* sort out the OCR, etc.)

We *really* eschew paper, here. I've, presently, got a stack of
textbooks at my side that are waiting for their visit to the guillotine...

For my "collections (folders) implemented as PDFs", I can open the
existing PDF "collection", then the "pages" that want to be
merged in another Acrobat instance and just drag the page thumbnails
from one into the other.

If I am attentive and keep up with the new documents arriving
(e.g., append the latest bank statement to the collection of
statements for THAT bank), this just takes a minute or so each month.
If I am delinquent in this action, then I may have to exercise more
care to ensure the statements end up merged in the correct order.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On Tue, 04 Aug 2026 17:34:30 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
wrote:

On Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:40:30 -0400, legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca> wrote:

I tend to use the obsolescent Seamonkey for browsing, unless
forced otherwise. Firefox will then usually answer in that case,
though even they have recently refused to maintain compatibility
with older (my) operating systems; something about TLS changes.

Today I was pulling old data sheets from the Analog Devices
website - the pages of which Seamonkey can now only display
as text indexing, so resorting to Firefox:

- Using Firefox I got denied access to the direct .pdf links.
- Using Seamonkey, the downloads progressed without issues.

. . . this all in now-venerable W7 OS.

Any speculation about what's tripping up the 'compatible' browser?
Are recent security changes tripping over themselves in maintaining
basic function?

RL

Try opening a PDF by:

- Find the PDF file.
- Right click and select "Open With".
- Select "Firefox" and see what happens.
- If Firefox is not listed under "open with", again under "chose
another app".

If you can open the PDF file using "open with" but not by double
clicking the PDF file, then you need change or fix the "default app"
for PDF. For Windoze 7:
"Windows 7: How to change the default program for a file" ><https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I47OrTxKa6E> (0:48)

Firefox has no issues with retrieving and saving or displaying pdf
format here. This is a website specific thing - Analog Devices, in
this case, but I've hit others with the same problem.

Sometimes 'internet-ready' pdfs show rubbish when you try to
retreive actual text from it's displayed content. This may
often be corrected by republishing it with more amenable
software. That's not Firefox's fault ( I don't think).

RL
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On 8/5/2026 7:19 AM, legg wrote:

Firefox has no issues with retrieving and saving or displaying pdf
format here. This is a website specific thing - Analog Devices, in
this case, but I've hit others with the same problem.

The "last supported" version of FF under W7 has problems
with newer site designs.

Sometimes 'internet-ready' pdfs show rubbish when you try to
retreive actual text from it's displayed content. This may
often be corrected by republishing it with more amenable
software. That's not Firefox's fault ( I don't think).

There are multiple PDF "standards" (A, X, E, etc.) each
tweeking the file's *representation* of the "content"
to be delivered. If you are a professional publisher,
the exact format chosen makes a difference in the
quality of the output generated.

Additionally, files created for "fast web viewing" are
restructured to expedite rendering of the first
page, earlier.

[Recall, a PDF is an executable program; one can structure a
program a myriad of different ways to get the same END result.
But, how it gets to that result can vary significantly. E.g.,
the page tree is often placed at the END of the file as
it consists of backwards references that aren't fully known
until all pages have been defined. Moving this to the head
of the file makes it available, earlier (in the download stream),
at the expense of forcing the renderer to wait until the actual
page sought has been delivered IN that stream.]

And, of course, something that has been OCRed likely appears as
a legitimate image -- with the OCRed text superimposed (on an invisible
layer). So, there is no guarantee that the text agrees with what your
eyes perceive in the image.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On Wed, 05 Aug 2026 10:19:19 -0400, legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca> wrote:

On Tue, 04 Aug 2026 17:34:30 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
wrote:

On Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:40:30 -0400, legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca> wrote:

I tend to use the obsolescent Seamonkey for browsing, unless
forced otherwise. Firefox will then usually answer in that case,
though even they have recently refused to maintain compatibility
with older (my) operating systems; something about TLS changes.

Today I was pulling old data sheets from the Analog Devices
website - the pages of which Seamonkey can now only display
as text indexing, so resorting to Firefox:

- Using Firefox I got denied access to the direct .pdf links.
- Using Seamonkey, the downloads progressed without issues.

. . . this all in now-venerable W7 OS.

Any speculation about what's tripping up the 'compatible' browser?
Are recent security changes tripping over themselves in maintaining >>>basic function?

RL

Try opening a PDF by:

- Find the PDF file.
- Right click and select "Open With".
- Select "Firefox" and see what happens.
- If Firefox is not listed under "open with", again under "chose
another app".

If you can open the PDF file using "open with" but not by double
clicking the PDF file, then you need change or fix the "default app"
for PDF. For Windoze 7:
"Windows 7: How to change the default program for a file" >><https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I47OrTxKa6E> (0:48)

Firefox has no issues with retrieving and saving or displaying pdf
format here. This is a website specific thing - Analog Devices, in
this case, but I've hit others with the same problem.

Sometimes 'internet-ready' pdfs show rubbish when you try to
retreive actual text from it's displayed content. This may
often be corrected by republishing it with more amenable
software. That's not Firefox's fault ( I don't think).

RL

I'm too lazy to install Win 7 on one of my computers or in a VM.
However, could you send me a link or two to a PDF from the Analog
Devices web pile that causes problems? I have some ancient desktops
that probably have Win 7 installed that should allow me to try various combinations.

Another possibility is the PDF version. Latest seems to be 2.0. <https://www.prepressure.com/pdf/basics/version>
It looks like version 1.7 was handed to the ISO in 2006(?). They then
released version 2.0 in 2017(?) resulting in ISO 32000-2. However,
that last version of Acrobat Reader mentioned is 9.1 is ancient and
possibly older than Win 7. I'm not finding anything on later PDF
version.

"ISO 32000-2:2020" (latest PDF version) <https://www.iso.org/standard/75839.html>

"PDF versions" (2024)
<https://pdfa.org/pdf-versions/>
Like all things Adobe, the version numbering appears to be a mess. The
latest version mentioned is again 2.0.

My guess(tm) is that the problem might be hiding in the document PDF
version, which might be incompatible with whatever the PDF reader
versions are supported.

This is beginning to look like the regression testing I've done in the
distant past. To identify this problem, I suspect that we will need
to fish for answers in the Adobe documentation swamp. <https://pdfa.org/how-to-get-started-with-pdf-2-0/>
Looks like the PDF version is insufficient and I would need to look
into the version 2.0 extensions.

In self-defense, please ignore my request for sample PDF files. I
don't need this nightmare and wish to retain my sanity.
--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272 AE6KS 831-336-2558

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

Does XPS offer an advantage?
(S. HTTP://Gloucester.Insomnia247.NL/ fuer Kontaktdaten!)
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On 8/5/26 18:50, C||il|!n Niocl|is|!n Glost|-ir wrote:

Does XPS offer an advantage?
(S. HTTP://Gloucester.Insomnia247.NL/ fuer Kontaktdaten!)

A Micro$oft product? Don't be ridiculous.

Jeroen Belleman
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

"C<il0n Nioclbs0n Glostoir" <thanks-to@Taf.com> wrote in message news:114vpk7$orje$1@paganini.bofh.team...

Does XPS offer an advantage?

It's easy to run it through other software to make a png.
People sometimes send me pdfs of images when I just want the image.

I know people who would print and scan it but I prefer to keep the
image quality.

(S. HTTP://Gloucester.Insomnia247.NL/ fuer Kontaktdaten!)

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

On Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:48:32 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
wrote:

On Wed, 05 Aug 2026 10:19:19 -0400, legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca> wrote:

On Tue, 04 Aug 2026 17:34:30 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> >>wrote:

On Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:40:30 -0400, legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca> wrote:

I tend to use the obsolescent Seamonkey for browsing, unless
forced otherwise. Firefox will then usually answer in that case, >>>>though even they have recently refused to maintain compatibility
with older (my) operating systems; something about TLS changes.

Today I was pulling old data sheets from the Analog Devices
website - the pages of which Seamonkey can now only display
as text indexing, so resorting to Firefox:

- Using Firefox I got denied access to the direct .pdf links.
- Using Seamonkey, the downloads progressed without issues.

. . . this all in now-venerable W7 OS.

Any speculation about what's tripping up the 'compatible' browser?
Are recent security changes tripping over themselves in maintaining >>>>basic function?

RL

Try opening a PDF by:

- Find the PDF file.
- Right click and select "Open With".
- Select "Firefox" and see what happens.
- If Firefox is not listed under "open with", again under "chose
another app".

If you can open the PDF file using "open with" but not by double
clicking the PDF file, then you need change or fix the "default app"
for PDF. For Windoze 7:
"Windows 7: How to change the default program for a file" >>><https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I47OrTxKa6E> (0:48)

Firefox has no issues with retrieving and saving or displaying pdf
format here. This is a website specific thing - Analog Devices, in
this case, but I've hit others with the same problem.

Sometimes 'internet-ready' pdfs show rubbish when you try to
retreive actual text from it's displayed content. This may
often be corrected by republishing it with more amenable
software. That's not Firefox's fault ( I don't think).

RL

I'm too lazy to install Win 7 on one of my computers or in a VM.
However, could you send me a link or two to a PDF from the Analog
Devices web pile that causes problems? I have some ancient desktops
that probably have Win 7 installed that should allow me to try various >combinations.

Like I said, there was no issue with the ADI website's pdfs.

Issue was access to the download, by web address - why I suspected
mishandling of TLS 'handshake' (under recent changes to that
standard of which only later Wx-OS-Firefox are supposedly capable).

A completely obsolete Mozilla product functioned, where the newer
Firefox variant didn't.

The pdfs I mentioned (elsewhere) that were useless in text retrieval
produced non-iso characters when their text was copied and pasted
into old NOTEPAD.EXE's text files. Chinese?

RL
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From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

[Recall, a PDF is an executable program; one can structure a
program a myriad of different ways to get the same END result.
But, how it gets to that result can vary significantly. E.g.,
the page tree is often placed at the END of the file as
it consists of backwards references that aren't fully known
until all pages have been defined. Moving this to the head
of the file makes it available, earlier (in the download stream),
at the expense of forcing the renderer to wait until the actual
page sought has been delivered IN that stream.]

You are exagerating or possibly mixing PDF with Postscript.
PDF allows embedding programs, but AFAIK this is not frequent
with normal PDF (as opposed to PDF forms) and AFAIK is not
supported by several viewers. PDF allow flexible placement of
content inside the file and viewer is supposed to follow internal
references to find what it wants to show, but that is mot much
different to what happens in other file formats.

And, of course, something that has been OCRed likely appears as
a legitimate image -- with the OCRed text superimposed (on an invisible layer).

Yes, this seem to be normal practice.

So, there is no guarantee that the text agrees with what your
eyes perceive in the image.

--
Waldek Hebisch
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From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.design

legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca> wrote:

Sometimes 'internet-ready' pdfs show rubbish when you try to
retreive actual text from it's displayed content. This may
often be corrected by republishing it with more amenable
software. That's not Firefox's fault ( I don't think).

What you see depends on fonts in use. If fonts have weird encoding
the character codes may look like rubbish. IIUC this some people
ply tricks on purpose, to discourage "Web scrapping". This probably
can also happen by accident, when creator software mangles
embedded fonts to respect copyright restrictions of font creator.

Or as Don Y wrote, this may be due to imperfect OCR.
--
Waldek Hebisch
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