# pdf.js renders pdfs



## graudeejs (Jul 4, 2011)

http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/pdf-js-hits-first-milestone-perfectly-1272890.html

Looks like one day we'll be browsing pdfs like htmls


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## randux (Jul 4, 2011)

I don't know about you, but I really don't like that. I disable the pdf browser plugin, I prefer to view pdfs directly in Acroread since it has so many options. I admit it, it's one of the few pieces of software I have not found a suitable replacement for since I have to use so much pdf doc for my job. I even created a 32 bit Linux vm to run it since Adobe hasn't bothered to put out a pure 64 bit version and my main desktop is single lib Slackware 64...


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## graudeejs (Jul 4, 2011)

The interesting thing is that it's JavaScript, not browser plugin.
I view my pdf's in zathura mostly.


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## randux (Jul 4, 2011)

Oh I understood, I just mean I don't like using a browser for PDFs because the plugin doesn't give you as many display options as the native reader, and the browser bars and layout give you less screen area for the actual document. The new js version will probably be a good virus vector! I plan to keep using acroread and disabling internet access and scripts from it...no surprises.


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## graudeejs (Jul 4, 2011)

randux said:
			
		

> The new js version will probably be a good virus vector! I plan to keep using acroread and disabling internet access and scripts from it...no surprises.



Good point


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## wblock@ (Jul 4, 2011)

randux said:
			
		

> The new js version will probably be a good virus vector! I plan to keep using acroread and disabling internet access and scripts from it...no surprises.



Acroread is not known for security.  An open-source Javascript PDF viewer may well be more secure than the Acroread binary blob.


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## randux (Jul 4, 2011)

True, nobody ever said Acroread was good for security, but you can make it secure by doing stuff like turning off scripts, only allowing registered plugings (or no plugins at all) and disabling web access. I have used it since the beginning and have not ever had a problem. I don't consider open source more secure than close source since I write closed source code and do reverse engineering as part of my job. Everything depends on the details, I don't think you can make any generalizations. No, I don't work for Microsoft!


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## tingo (Jul 4, 2011)

randux said:
			
		

> Oh I understood, I just mean I don't like using a browser for PDFs because the plugin doesn't give you as many display options as the native reader



Well, that doesn't mean that pdf.js  will be that limited. I will wait with judgement until I see what pdf.js comes to.



			
				randux said:
			
		

> and the browser bars and layout give you less screen area for the actual document.


This is the reason I use a separate PDF viewer program too.



			
				randux said:
			
		

> The new js version will probably be a good virus vector! I plan to keep using acroread and disabling internet access and scripts from it...no surprises.


Why are you using acroread, and not xpdf or muPDF? As has been mentioned in this thread, acroread isn't good when it comes to security.


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## randux (Jul 5, 2011)

tingo said:
			
		

> Why are you using acroread, and not xpdf or muPDF? As has been mentioned in this thread, acroread isn't good when it comes to security.



Well I do have xpdf on my 64 bit system and I use it when my 32 bit VM or Solaris box isn't up. One thing I haven't found out how to do is view 2-up like I can in acroread. I love having the whole screen filled up with a pdf just like reading a book!

As far as security goes, I haven't had any problems and I don't expect any. Like I said, I change a few settings and that seems to be enough. I just take reasonable precautions and I don't worry about stuff and nothing bad ever happens.


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