# .pdf to MS Word.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-to-ms-word/463444>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 13, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-to-ms-word/463444 "2008-09-13T15:32:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-to-ms-word/463444/21 "2008-09-14T21:29:39Z")

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> [@Sunspace](#):
>
> A slight clarification…
> 
> Acrobat was intended for make the _formatting_ of a document–pagination, layout, font–constant, no matter where it might be viewed or printed. It is possible to inhibit copying of text out of a PDF, but that wasn’t the main purpose.

Good thing I didn’t say it \*was \*the main purpose then. I didn’t think I had to provide a comprehensive overview of the history and capabilities of Acrobat in order to address the one aspect–editability–that’s under discussion. (Hence my “\*One \*of the . . .” phrasing.)

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**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-to-ms-word/463444/22 "2008-09-14T21:34:41Z")

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> [@lissener](#):
>
> Good thing I didn’t say it \*was \*the main purpose then. I didn’t think I had to provide a comprehensive overview of the history and capabilities of Acrobat in order to address the one aspect–editability–that’s under discussion. (Hence my “\*One \*of the . . .” phrasing.)

True, but the OP didn’t want editability within the PDF; the OP wanted _exportability_.

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