NavList:

Frank,

I'll freely admit to one thumb and a thick head. I'm aware of the cut & paste drill but, using older equipment, cut & paste into the internet address bar doesn't work for .pdf or .png files. I should have stated that more precisely in the other post, and I apologize for not doing so. The one thumb part of me has no clue how to "make it work," as computers and the internet are two completely different animals to me, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who's wallet doesn't agree with the computer industry's "gotta buy new every year" marketing philosophy.

Information vs. file size: agree, but with a bit of grumbling. You chastised for attaching a big file, stated that YOU could and did easily change the file format/size, but you didn't bother to explain how. I'm hopefully optimistic that you don't buy into the "look at me I'm so smart" bulls**t that prevails in the navigation community (as a whole). Wouldn't you agree that children, of any age, respond better to positive reinforcement and "here's how?"

As an example, here's how I did it for that Ageton form:
1. Opened the 8.5in x 11in 1.4MB .pdf file in Adobe Acrobat 5.0 (not the reader).
2. "Save as..." a 300dpi .tif file. A nice (useful) black & white image in a univeral format, but still >1MB in size because it's uncompressed. But uncompressed is to my advantage....
3. Opened the .tif file in MicroStupid Paint (Windows Millenium Edition).
3.a. Oops! The file is a big black blob! Clicked <Image> <Invert Colors>.
3.b. Oops! The background is a goofy color! Clicked <Image> <Attributes...> <Black and White>.
4. "Save as..." a .gif file, and I have an 8.5in x 11in image, at 300dpi, in an 83kB file. It would have been smaller if I had saved the .tif file to something smaller than 300dpi. 150dpi is plenty for home printers, 300dpi works well for commercial printers, such as Kinkos.

This (to .tif or .gif format) is something I routinely do to import/link .pdf maps/charts/technical drawings into AutoCAD. But Adobe Acrobat isn't free. Perhaps you or someone can choose to submit another method, using free software.

File size vs. server space: agree a bazillion percent. Your next option, regarding expense, is to allow advertising. If there's no other file option (but a big file) then the correspondants can arrange the transfer to happen off the list. Even I have done this, with another list member for his really neat running fix animation. Would you, as our fearless moderator, be willing to pass on (through private e-mail) an e-mail address for the (assumed) occasional request for a giant file?

And thank you for clarifying attachments vs. links. Now I understand the difference and what you want.

Joe

----------------------------------------------------------------
NavList message boards and member settings: www.fer3.com/NavList
Members may optionally receive posts by email.
To cancel email delivery, send a message to NoMail[at]fer3.com
----------------------------------------------------------------