> Ok, as a long time net user (even before html), and sometime datasheet and
> catalog user, I really like paper for large or diverse documents. I have been
> using the web and pdf forms of the digikey catalog and finally ordered a
> paper copy. I have been using the pdf forms of the Microchip datasheets and
> find that I have to print them to really be happy.

I've gotten a number of data sheets from Microchip and others in PDF format.
I think it's useful to be able to print out a data sheet which matches very
closely the printed data books from Microchip.  I agree with you and many
others that paper is often *the* medium of choice, and PDF is better suited
to printing than HTML.

> Also, somehow paper supports what I will call "hardware store wandering"
> better. "hardware store wandering" is when you have got every thing you came
> for and just are wandering around in the store, looking at gizmos, free
> associating, having ideas, gee isn't that a neat thingy, maybe about what to
> do for the next project or sometime someday. Great source of creativity,
> possibly only surpassed by thinking in the shower.

Here, it depends.  For random "flip and see if I find something interesting",
nothing beats paper.  For "I'd like a Quad rail-to-rail op amp with a 1mA
quiescent current, 50uV ofset, 1kV/second slew rate, and output drivers
that can sink/source 50mA", text-based computer documents can be better.

If I have a paper document with all the stuff in it that I might want to
read (e.g. a full Microchip PIC databook) then I can efficiently flip to
the parts of interest.  On the other hand, getting the whole book via
modem would take excessively long--especially since I don't need 95% of
it.

Personally, I would like to see sites do the following:

[1] When practical, include HTML copies of data sheets (with embedded
    GIFs as needed, but with text as searchable text)

[2] For devices with large (>10 pages) data sheets, publish both a "com-
    plete" file which contains the entire data sheet, and "highlights"
    files that include specific parts (for example, the AC/DC electrical
    specifications for PIC devices).  It's rather frustrating to have to
    download an entire meg file just to discover that the output current
    for a Wowzo 600 is 15mA.

[3] Give the .PDF files meaningful names, and provide an easily-downloadable
    file listing the names/descriptions of past and present .PDF files
    which are/were available for download.