Copy protection

[bunn]

Someone has sent me a pdf document that is encrypted to prevent it being edited.

I am supposed to print, sign and return this document.

I was sooo strongly tempted to print it, scan it, and sign it using my whizzy new pen and touchpad thing and then email it back to them, just to show I could.  I could have edited the text as well if the whim took me.

But that seemed a bit mean, so I have found an envelope, and a stamp. Such faith in technology, it's rather sweet.

Comments

[sigisgrim.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I would have just responded to them that they need to send an unprotected copy or provide the password, if they want it signed. I can be even more awkward than the other person if needed. :-)

[king-pellinor.livejournal.com]

If they want a signed hard copy, then why was their approach inappropriate?

[sigisgrim.livejournal.com]

If they explicitly wanted a printed, and subsequently signed, copy then it wasn't. However, expecting somebody else to print your documents for you is a little cheeky.

What is wrong with an electronically signed document? It is more difficult to forge an electronic signature; it saves paper, toner or ink, the environment, storage space, etc.

[king-pellinor.livejournal.com]

"...expecting somebody else to print your documents for you is a little cheeky."

Depends on the situation. Round our way it's common practice: saying "I have the document here, it's all ready for you to sign, but please wait an unecessary day or two for it to come through in the post instead of getting in in 5 seconds" seems a bit daft.

The probelm with electronically signed documents is that lots of officialdom requires ink signatures.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I prefer not to annoy my lovely clients. Particularly when this document was a confidentiality agreement that they wanted me to sign so they could fly me all expenses paid to Boston for a training course.

Doing something that they thought was impossible, in an effortless kind of way, to make the point that I know dark secrets that they do not wot of, is sometimes good client relations.

But I wouldn't risk anything that made them think of me as awkward. That's a bad, bad reputation to have for a small business that depends largely on recommendation.