Scot,

Not to open up a can of worms... but another option might be to use the pdf or acrobat symbol instead of a text-based label.  I'm not a fan of gratuitous icon use, but in this case, using the icon can be helpful to users as it can be recognized, and does not need to be conventionally read.

This arguably works best in a controlled environment (intranet/extranet/application) where, even for users who may not know what it is initially, it's significance can be quickly learned.  

As for using it in a public-facing context, I've definitely seen it, I just don't know if there's any research out there as to the symbol's universal recognizability (anyone know of any studies??) 

 .... and as always, when using a symbol, don't forget to text tag it for low-vision folks who use screen readers.

Hope this helps and doesn't stir the pot too much!


Marilyn Tahl
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LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/marilyntahl

"Empathy is not just about stepping into another's shoes. First you must remove your own shoes."  - Indian proverb


> 
> On Sep 26, 2011, at 12:43 PM, Skot Nelson wrote:
> 
> ...I do think there was a time when PDF was synonymous with Acrobat...I think that time has long passed.
> 

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