A PDF that changes based on how its read

Re:A PDF that changes based on how its read by gpvos on Friday June 12, 2026 @01:05PM (#48506635)

I would suggest changing the title to the actual title of the article: Adaptive PDFs.

Assuming the program works, the PDF will not actually look different to me than to anyone else looking at it, so there is nothing that "changes based on who is reading". It is just that text extraction, a wholly different (and much fuzzier) process than viewing the PDF, and something that the same person can do, will now return structured (Markdown) text. (One might say the PDF changes based on how you are reading it.) A great idea, IMHO.

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Re:A PDF that changes based on how its read by SarthakGaud on Friday June 12, 2026 @02:14PM (#48507485)

Thanks, the title was little misleading, I just changed it.

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Re:A PDF that changes based on how its read by dredmorbius on Friday June 12, 2026 @01:42PM (#48507142)

Email the mods: <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40493683>.

[email protected]

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Re:A PDF that changes based on how its read by mc32 on Friday June 12, 2026 @01:48PM (#48507238)

Having slightly different versions would certainly be a help in identifying leakers of certain kinds of documents to increase the odds of identifying leakers. That would be of interest to some kinds of organizations or departments within organizations.

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Re:A PDF that changes based on how its read by Hendrikto on Saturday June 13, 2026 @03:25AM (#48514431)

Just have slightly different versions then. This has always been possible.

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Re:A PDF that changes based on how its read by gpvos on Saturday June 13, 2026 @04:32AM (#48514923)

PDF has lots of facilities to do that.

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Re:A PDF that changes based on how its read by dang on Friday June 12, 2026 @07:02PM (#48510400)

Thanks! Changed now. Submitted title was "A PDF that changes based on how its read".

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