PDF is a format for preserving layouts across different platforms when viewing a... | Hacker News

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		AtNightWeCode 4 months ago \| parent \| context \| favorite \| on: So you want to parse a PDF? PDF is a format for preserving layouts across different platforms when viewing and printing. It is not intended for data processing and so on. I don't see why a structured document format can't exist that simplifies processing and increases accessibility while still preserving the layouts.

neuroelectron 4 months ago [–]

What about open office docs? (ODF – OpenDocument Format, like .odt, .ods, .odp)

JavaScript in particular is actively hostile to stability and determinism.

AtNightWeCode 4 months ago | [–]

I have not looked at those formats but take docx for example. That structure is complicated because the layout needs to be described and editable.

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