| In 1993, the Adobe systems introduced the PDF or | | | | accuracy. Using the same operator-enhanced |
| Portable Document Format, a format that facilitates | | | | mechanism, the Textbridge's zoning capabilities also |
| easier sharing of ideas and work of people via the | | | | garnered high marks from experts. The Textbridge |
| Internet. Along with the PDF, the company created the | | | | has an efficient table zone tool, supporting excellent |
| Acrobat. The Acrobat features methods of creating | | | | image and text output. These capabilities, according to |
| text and images, and converting them into PDF files, | | | | experts, have great potential to compete with Acrobat, |
| and a system of distributing through the Internet to | | | | which is currently the only software with |
| users. The Acrobat has been the dominant player in | | | | shrink-wrapped utilities capable of correcting OCRed |
| this field since its creation. There is, however, some | | | | text, formats, vector graphics, images, and page |
| software produced by competing companies. People | | | | layouts. |
| cannot help it but compare Acrobat with these | | | | The Textbridge has a scheduler that performs batch |
| software. | | | | handling. It is, however, able to process just a limited |
| Adobe, through its Acrobat software, allows other | | | | number of file directories at a time and does not have |
| software makers to plug-in into its platform by the use | | | | the ability to save batch settings. Textbridge's batching |
| of Acrobat codes, improving further Acrobat's and | | | | capabilities are definitely below Acrobat's, although the |
| PDF's serviceability. There are software providers, of | | | | latter has its own problems. Acrobat Capture is |
| course, who choose to use their own codes and | | | | invaluable to users managing multiple projects at the |
| therefore are direct competitors of Adobe Acrobat. | | | | same time, as it allows them to set and save PDF |
| One of these competitors is Scansoft's Textbridge 9.0, | | | | conversion settings for each job. |
| considered by many IT experts to have a real chance | | | | The main difference between Textbridge and Acrobat |
| of providing stiff competition to the Acrobat in the field | | | | is in the image plus text output. Adobe has placed |
| of Optical Character Recognition (OCR). | | | | prime importance in this. ScanSoft, like other Acrobat |
| Comparing Acrobat Capture Software with | | | | competitors, opted to use their own codes; and this |
| Textbridge 9.0, experts tested the abilities of both | | | | has resulted to familiar images plus text handling issues. |
| software in the areas of OCR accuracy, zoning, and | | | | For example, to view an image generated by the |
| batch handling. The results suggested evidence that | | | | Textbridge, the text needs to be transparent, which is |
| serious competition to the Acrobat has arrived, | | | | a major annoyance to users. In Acrobat, the text are |
| although over-all, Acrobat still has the decided edge. | | | | all in black. However, if Textbridge can address this |
| Experts found Textbridge astoundingly superb in | | | | problem and other issues involving images and text, it |
| almost all kinds of image types, and in a wide range of | | | | can be a plausible and fast PDF/Normal conversion |
| resolutions. Its OCR contains a manual zoning feature, | | | | tool for various types of documents. |
| and with this feature can attain 99.5% to 99.9% | | | | |