PDF-ing My Past

I updated to Adobe Reader 7.0 the other day. It is noticeably faster than the previous versions when loading. It's free. If you ever read PDF files and haven't downloaded it, it would be worth your efforts.

This started me thinking about beginning to digitize personal paperwork. It might be possible to throw away a few boxes of old, yellowing documents and historical data. I know the idea might prove an anathema to pack-rat-like historian friends, such as Bret. Yet, I like the idea that I could make the digital incarnations available online too.

In order to give it a try, I played with a free software download that allows one to scan and convert to PDF. I'm a bit hesitant to run out and replace my aging scanner but it might be reasonable. My current one is so ancient that it uses a parallel port. Additionally, I scan in oodles of old pictures for my eJournal and images, so I could consider it a useful investment.



If you click the banner above, you will open my test copy. It is a four page student publication from 1991. I worked at Dubai Men's College in the UAE at that time. This initial class project eventually turned into The Foundations News. I guess my interest in showcasing students' writings is nothing new.