PDF

The file format in Adobe's Acrobat document exchange technology. Acrobat/PDF has become the de facto standard for document exchange as well as for publishing documents on the Web that are downloaded and read independently of the HTML pages. Millions of brochures, data sheets, white papers and technical manuals are on the Web in PDF format.

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format developed by Adobe Systems for representing documents in a manner that is independent of the original application software, hardware, and operating system used to create those documents. A PDF file can describe documents containing any combination of text, graphics, and images in a device independent and resolution independent format. These documents can be one page or thousands of pages, very simple or extremely complex with a rich use of fonts, graphics, colour, and images. PDF is an open standard, and anyone may write applications that can read or write PDFs royalty-free.
Technology
PDF is primarily the combination of three technologies:
a cut-down form of PostScript for generating the layout and graphics,
a font-embedding/replacement system to allow fonts to travel with the documents, and
a structured storage system to bundle these elements into a single file, with data compression where appropriate.
History
When PDF first came out, in the early 1990s, it was slow to catch on. At the time, not only did the only PDF creation tools of the time (Acrobat) cost money, but so did the software to view and print PDF files. Additionally, there were competing formats such as Envoy, Common Ground Digital Paper, DjVu and even Adobe's own PostScript file format (.ps). Adobe started distributing the Acrobat Reader program at no cost, and continued to support PDF through its slow multi-year ramp-up. Competing formats eventually died out, and PDF became a well-accepted standard.
In 2005 Microsoft presented a competing format referenced by the code name "Metro". It is developed together with Global Graphics. Metro is based on XML, but requires a license. Metro is scheduled to be included in the next version of MS Windows with the codename "Longhorn".
PDF Converters
Keeping and sending files in PDF format has its own advantages like it cannot be modified, clarity etc.How about converting a file on your desktop to PDF format. There are many tools across web .Lets go through some of them. Adobe itself allows you to register in its site and convert a sample of 5 files. It lets you upload your file and the PDF file will be sent to your Email.
There are applications that run standalone and allow unlimited conversions yet Free of cost. One such one I found to be good is PrimoPDF.The instructions to convert the file is given clearly in the website. Test try it.
Online PDF Converter : http://convert.neevia.com/ PDF file will EMailed to your inbox.

Scholarship For Women

THE FAIR and Lovely Foundation has invited applications for the Project Saraswati Scholarships for women pursuing graduate and postgraduate studies but are financially constrained. Application forms can be downloaded from www.hll.com and www.fairandlovelyfoundation.com. The last date for receiving entries is July 31.
Under the project, scholarships of upto Rs. l lakh will be awarded to deserving women from across the country, for any graduate and postgraduate course within India.
The scholarships will be given on the basis of academic performance and a personal interview by a panel of judges. Application forms can be posted to Project Saraswati,
Fair & Lovely Foundation, P.O. Box No. 11281, Marine Lines Post Office, Mumbai-400 020.

• Download Form
• Press Release

For more scholarships ping:

• http://www.scholarshipsinindia.com/
• http://www.education.nic.in/
• http://www.britishcouncil.org/india-scholarships-cwit.htm

No-frills densifying the Indian Skies

It was day 5 of the 2005 Paris Airshow , Airbus executives were ecstatic ,reasin , IndiGo Airlines prompted by Delhi-based travel house InterGlobe placed a massive $6-billion order for 100 Airbus A320 aircrafts to be delivered in the next 5 years.
In the last 6 months private Indian airline companies have placed orders for 250 aircrafts + 93 by national carriers Air India snd Indian Airlines , representing more than 50 per cent of the total global orders placed with aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing.The result ,India stealed the limelight in the Paris Airshow.
Root for no-frills-
Going down the calendar when Ramaswamy Iyengar Gopinath launched the first n0-frills airline AirDeccan in August 2003 with the tagline "Simplifly",everyone expected it will fade one day in the future.But Gopi(as he is called) proved critics wrong and today he created an industry entire world is looking for a slice in the Indian sky.
Gopi lists the following to be his success keys behind cost reduction:

• More seats: AirDeccan Airbus A320 can carry 180 passengers compared to 142 of indain Airlines and 145 ofJetAirways.That extra seats accounting 23% are reserved for sale at 500Rs(plus Tax).Some more seats are sold just fpr 1Re(plus tax).Remaining 75% are sold at reduced price.
• Turn Around time:It is calculated based on the time a flight spends in air to the time spent on ground.AirDeccan flights spends 13 hours in air compared to 11.5 to 12 hours by other domestic players.Fewer time on ground means lesser parking charge. Air deccan doesnt provide cargo shipping means no wastage of time in loading and unloading on ground.
• The free online reservation system,with very selected travel agents reduce the intermediate costs ,that account close to 25% of ticket cost.
• Further AirDeccan doesnt provide free meals,headsets ot magazines......No frills.
• It employes only 4 member onboard crew compared to 8 by other players.Further it recruits part time employees in smaller places like Vijayawada,mangalore etc rather than full time by others.
• Additionally Air Deccan lets companies paint their logos on its aircraft for a fee.Even the reverse side of checked-in baggage ticket is given to advertisers.

Finally Gopi's model has frutified ,successfully going to celebrate 2 years coming August.It carried 1.2 million passengers in the first one year.The success fruits of Gopi's model attracted many others,leading to launching of many low cost Airlines like KingFisher(Liquor Barron Vijay Mallya),spice Jet.Already 6 players competing in the Indian skies,half a dozen players like GOair(of Wadias),IndiGo(InterGlobe),Indus Airways ,AirOne,Magic Air and East West Airlines have got NOC and are in the process of purchasing/leasing aircrafts and fund raising process.Another 1/2 dozen expressed plans of launching low cost carriers.Even the international carrier AirIndia launced low cost carrier AirIndiaExpress to Gulf that significantly increased the traffic.

State governments too want to share the pie:

Most of the airlines are confined to big and medium cities, they cannot operate flights to smaller towns like ooty,Malabar,Khajuraho,varanasi etc.,Some of the state governments having huge tourist inflows want to exploit this base using the no-frills model.

The kerala government backed Kerala Airlines,Madhya Pradesh government' Khajuraho Airlines ,one by UP govt are in the process of undertaking a feasibility study to understand the costing ,possible revenue sources and cities to be connected.For this they do not want to depend on the central government.

What to the customer-

Well all these changes in the Indian sky really delighted the upper middle class Indian to whom travelling by flight was a distant dream.The low cost carriers succeded in grabbing the Ist class AC train passengers to their seats.One survey revealed many IT employees are making most of it by advance booking the low cast seats.The recent launch of Spice jet was a huge success whose 2 weeks seats were booked in advance to its launch.

Golden word: The customer will be the ultimate benefiter in the growing competition.So no worries all happies.

Government Angle:

Obviously the government is pretty much delighted with kind of competition in the Aviation sector.The prices of the Aviation Turbine Fuel has slashed by 8% in the interntional market bringing the cost to 29,500Rs per kilolitre.Govt is further promising in reduction of taxes.

The low cost Airlines complain of the infrastructure being provided in the airports are poor and needs to be improved.The parking cost on the low cost carriers should be subsidised keeping in view of the middle class people.Further the existing airports in Hyderabad ,Bangalore etc., should be given to low cost carriers at a reduced parking cost,when the new airports starts operating(As many countries have a separate Air ports for low cost carriers).

Also the low cost carriers need to be cautious of the safety measures taken before taking off.Although no major mishap happened so far ,but everyone is aware of the incident happened to the much publicised launch of Air Deccan in Vijayawada.

oooh..Any way thanks to Gopinath for bringing new colour to the Aviation field that increased the traveller base by 20 per cent last year.Hope every one of will fly one day.