Field Notes.
The strange world of files, privacy, and permanent software.
Some call us anti-SaaS.
The modern web has trained us to accept a trade: convenience in exchange for control. We think there's another way.
The Word to PDF problem
Converting a .docx to PDF should be simple. The reason it isn't tells you a lot about how software gets complicated.
What happens when you upload a file
You click upload. You get a result. Simple. Except for everything that happens in between.
The PDF that knew too much
What do free PDF tools actually do with your files? The answer is more complicated than their privacy policies suggest.
The PDF signature trap
DocuSign is worth billions. To sign a rectangle on a document. Here's how that happened.
The real cost of free PDF tools
It starts with one export. Then it's monthly. The subscription trap hiding inside every free tool.
What actually happens when you upload a PDF
Most free PDF tools are convenient. But convenience has a cost most people don't think about until it's too late.
Who did you just give that to?
That file. That contract. That document. You clicked upload. So it went somewhere. But where is somewhere?
What if a tool just did the job?
No habits. No hooks. No 'come back.' What software looks like when it's built to be useful, not sticky.
Why your PDF is so big
A 2-page invoice. 14 megabytes. Here's what's actually inside a bloated PDF — and how to fix it without sending it anywhere.
Your files are a subscription feature
The work you did. The drafts. The versions. They're still there. But only if you keep paying.