what is PostScript?

PostScript is a page description language, developed by Adobe Systems in 1985. This language describes all the page elements like a page size, margins, text, grapics etc. Document created in any aplication may be saved with use of PostScript language to file. This file may be sent to the output device equipped with PostScript interpreter like a printer or imagesetter. Output device interpreting PostScript file exactly knows how to draw the page.

what is PDF?

Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) becomes the standard file format for electronic document distribution and electronic submission of print jobs. With Adobe PDF, you can capture the original look and feel of a document, including all the fonts, images, graphics, and formatting of the original application file. Yet, unlike the original application file, Adobe PDF files are compact and platform-independent, and can be simply shared, viewed and printed with free Adobe Reader software. In professional printing industry Adobe PDF (beside Postscript files) is a basic file format accepted by printing devices.

Document Fomat
Advantages
Considerations
PostScript files
 Files can be created directly from all leading applications.
Ready-to-print file, self-contained and formatted.
Files are compatibile with PostScript print.		 Files can be significantly larger than the original file.
Cannot be edited or easily previewed before printing.
PostScript files may be printer-specific, depending on the printer driver used to create them.
PDF
Portable Document Format
 The best way to keep all your margins, formatting, fonts and graphics intact.
PDF files are compact and cross platform.		 Not all applications can save in PDF format in this case additional Adobe Acrobat software must be purchased to create PDF documents.
Original Applications Format
(eg. Microsoft Word, Adobe PageMaker, CorelDraw etc.)
 No additional software required.
Files can be edited easily.		 May not print properly.
May loose fonts and formatting.
Dependant on software.