One reason: a PDF feels like a "finished publication". While HTML can be dynamically updated, a PDF is the equivalent of something "going to the press".
Another reason: for whatever reason, if you're selling your content a PDF has more intrinsic value for the end customer. It becomes "a thing" instead of just being "content that should be free". It's very odd. People like the idea of owning digital goods, but only as long as they can download them and store them on their own hard drive.
Perfect description. Word and other formats feel like a draft. By having established a legacy of making finished PDFs hard to edit without, say, a full licensed version of Acrobat, it got people into the mindset that it was the go to press format.
Comments
One reason: a PDF feels like a "finished publication". While HTML can be dynamically updated, a PDF is the equivalent of something "going to the press".
Another reason: for whatever reason, if you're selling your content a PDF has more intrinsic value for the end customer. It becomes "a thing" instead of just being "content that should be free". It's very odd. People like the idea of owning digital goods, but only as long as they can download them and store them on their own hard drive.
Perfect description. Word and other formats feel like a draft. By having established a legacy of making finished PDFs hard to edit without, say, a full licensed version of Acrobat, it got people into the mindset that it was the go to press format.