Understanding what preservation formats such as PDF/A (ISO 19005) have “promised” to the preservation community has been influenced by software implementations coupled with certain long-held beliefs and myths about PDF and file formats. In the 20 years since the first PDF/A-1 standard was published, technology, the PDF/A standards, and digital preservation practices have all shifted.
This tutorial aims to shine a forensic spotlight on exactly how the PDF/A file format, and its applications, have evolved to support the reliable, long-term preservation of electronic documents. It aims to separate myth from fact and address certain long-held beliefs that may no longer be true or not be in the best interests of organizations into the future.