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Request review of gpdftext package description



After two bug reports (#562600 and #562602) indicating that user(s) are
mistaking gpdftext for a *viewer* rather than an editor, I'd like some
feedback on whether the package description can be amended to prevent
future problems.

The current Debian package description is:

Description: GTK+ text editor for ebook PDF files
 gpdftext opens a simple text-based PDF file, typically
 intended for reading on an ebook reader and loads the
 text into a text editor window, autoformatting the text
 for long lines and paragraph breaks.
 .
 gpdftext is useful when the downloaded PDF uses a small
 font or wastes a lot of space in the margins so that
 a plain text file would display in a more comfortable
 font.
 .
 gpdftext supports spell checking and editor font selection
 and can save ASCII content as PDF.

The full description from upstream (me) is:

"gPDFText is a text editor for GTK+ that opens PDF documents for ebook
readers, converts the text contents into plain ASCII text, restores the
original paragraphs and removes unwanted line breaks to allow easier
zooming on the reader.

Many downloaded PDF files for ebook readers still use the A4 paper type
(or letter which is similar in size) and when the PDF is displayed on
the ebook reader, the zoom required to display the entire page makes
the text too small. Simply exporting the PDF into text causes problems
with line wrapping and the various ways that ebook PDFs indicate page
headers and footers make it hard to automate the conversion.

gPDFText loads the PDF, extracts the text, reformats the paragraphs
into single long lines and then puts the text into a standard GTK+
editor where you can make other adjustments.

On the ebook reader, the plain text file then has no unwanted line
breaks and can be zoomed to whatever text size you prefer."

Other links: http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/?q=gpdftext
http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/gpdftext/

One possible consideration is that gpdftext tries to be a WYSIWYG
editor - a custom font is used (selectable but typically proportional
rather than monospace) along with word wrap, long lines, full
justification and no "line numbering" which developers (although not
users) would see as a clue to an editor rather than viewer.

The interface is more like 'mousepad' with justification and word wrap
support.

Thanks.

-- 


Neil Williams
=============
http://www.data-freedom.org/
http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/
http://e-mail.is-not-s.ms/

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