[arcsine]

PDF's are a pre-printer file and as such have much of the document "locked" to prevent editing. A full version of Acrobat (not just Reader) will allow text editing but on a line-line basis. Illustrator and Freehand can open PDF files and maintain the layout and all the text wil be editable but again on a line-line basis. Photoshop will open PDF's and if you are fascile with it can do editing but as it will be a raster file getting all the text to look right can be tricky.

The locking of the files is a design function that serves its' purpose well. When transferring files from design houses to print shops as done in the graphics world, a well formatted PDF will pose much less hassle for the printer. Most of the application specific formatting will be washed out as well as platform specific formatting by creating a PDF. The PDF format was never designed or intended as on "open" format that could be edited by anyone who happened to get ahold of the document. They are small in size, print well, are cross platform compatible and can be created by essentially any application. PDF's have their issues but "open-ness" or lack thereof is not one of them.