On: The lingua franca of LaTeX

[jahewson]

PDF too supports external font files, a multitude of font formats, and special ink layers (these are called “separations”).

PDF also supports PostScript fonts, which are already compiled for your printer.

[zzo38computer → jahewson]

I didn't know that, but OK, so it does (although PostScript fonts won't be so good if you want to use bitmap fonts and stuff like that instead (I use METAFONT to compile bitmap fonts for the printer, and than use my own software to rasterize the page, by copying the generated font glyphs into the positions specified by the DVI file)).

Still, DVI is simpler for many uses. I think PDF is too complicated.

[jahewson → zzo38computer]

PDF also supports bitmap fonts. It’s certainly complicated though!