WWF (file format)
Encyclopedia
WWF is a modification of the open standard
PDF
format for document exchange endorsed by the World Wide Fund for Nature
(also abbreviated WWF) Germany. The WWF format is promoted as being more environmentally friendly than other comparable document exchange formats (e.g. PDF
or DOC
) since documents in this format are designed to be more difficult to print. The motivation behind the use of the format is to prevent unnecessary printing of documents. The website claims that the file format will be able to be read by most programs that can open ordinary PDF files. At present, the software for creating WWF files is available for Mac OS X 10.4 and for Windows XP
and later. An Open Source
equivalent is available for Linux
and for Windows XP
and later.
files with the security settings for printing set to "not allowed", and the file extension ".wwf".
Thus, the inability to print the files comes from the DRM
built into Adobe Reader
, which looks at a flag in the PDF to see whether printing is allowed. Other PDF readers, such as Ghostscript
, may not honour the no-print flag, rendering WWF files printable.
can print documents in the format), for violating the BSD license, for being incompatible with the goals of the free and open source software
movement and for the software contacting the WWF without the user's consent
. It was criticised by WWF International director of corporate relations Maria Boulos for being "misleading" and having been launched as "a global product" despite being created by the WWF's German division without consultation with WWF International.
Open standard
An open standard is a standard that is publicly available and has various rights to use associated with it, and may also have various properties of how it was designed . There is no single definition and interpretations vary with usage....
Portable Document Format
Portable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
format for document exchange endorsed by the World Wide Fund for Nature
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
(also abbreviated WWF) Germany. The WWF format is promoted as being more environmentally friendly than other comparable document exchange formats (e.g. PDF
Portable Document Format
Portable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
or DOC
DOC (computing)
In computing, DOC or doc is a filename extension for word processing documents; most commonly for Microsoft Word. Historically, the extension was used for documentation in plain-text format, particularly of programs or computer hardware, on a wide range of operating systems...
) since documents in this format are designed to be more difficult to print. The motivation behind the use of the format is to prevent unnecessary printing of documents. The website claims that the file format will be able to be read by most programs that can open ordinary PDF files. At present, the software for creating WWF files is available for Mac OS X 10.4 and for Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
and later. An Open Source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
equivalent is available for Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
and for Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
and later.
Technical details
WWF files are simply PDFPortable Document Format
Portable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
files with the security settings for printing set to "not allowed", and the file extension ".wwf".
Thus, the inability to print the files comes from the DRM
Digital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
built into Adobe Reader
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat is a family of application software developed by Adobe Systems to view, create, manipulate, print and manage files in Portable Document Format . All members of the family, except Adobe Reader , are commercial software, while the latter is available as freeware and can be downloaded...
, which looks at a flag in the PDF to see whether printing is allowed. Other PDF readers, such as Ghostscript
Ghostscript
Ghostscript is a suite of software based on an interpreter for Adobe Systems' PostScript and Portable Document Format page description languages.- Features :...
, may not honour the no-print flag, rendering WWF files printable.
Criticism
The initiative has been criticised for restricting users rights, being ineffective (as non-Adobe readers such as GhostscriptGhostscript
Ghostscript is a suite of software based on an interpreter for Adobe Systems' PostScript and Portable Document Format page description languages.- Features :...
can print documents in the format), for violating the BSD license, for being incompatible with the goals of the free and open source software
Free and open source software
Free and open-source software or free/libre/open-source software is software that is liberally licensed to grant users the right to use, study, change, and improve its design through the availability of its source code...
movement and for the software contacting the WWF without the user's consent
Phoning home
Phoning home, in computing, refers to an act of client to server communication where a client device or client application software reports its location on a network, the currently logged on user, or any other information to a server computer...
. It was criticised by WWF International director of corporate relations Maria Boulos for being "misleading" and having been launched as "a global product" despite being created by the WWF's German division without consultation with WWF International.