Dec '02 Tools

What is Adobe Acrobat? Adobe Acrobat is actually a compilation of several different programs that do a variety of things.

Acrobat Reader...

Acrobat Reader is the program familiar to most computer users. Reader is the free software that allows you to view documents that are in PDF format. Acrobat Reader is bundled with many of today's popular graphics and publishing software. It is also available as a free download at the Adobe Web site http://www.adobe.com. Once the Acrobat Reader software is properly installed, you just need to click on a link to a PDF file and it will be loaded for viewing on your computer.

That brings up the next question...

What exactly is PDF?

PDF stands for Portable Document Format. Acrobat was designed to be completely cross-platform. Macintosh as well as Windows users can create and edit documents and the resulting PDF files can be read viewed by anyone using Acrobat Reader. A PDF document will look the same on the screen and in print, regardless of what kind of computer or printer someone is using, regardless of what program was used to create it, and regardless of what fonts were used. The document will look exactly as creator intended - with layout, fonts, links, and images intact. For example, one person can create a spreadsheet in Excel, convert it to PDF and anyone, even if they don't own the Excel program, can view the spreadsheet.

One of the nicest benefits of PDF is that although a PDF documents retains all of its original formatting, including images and embedded fonts, PDF files are highly compressed, creating small files and allowing documents to load quickly.

Adobe Acrobat...

The main Adobe Acrobat program is the software that is used to create PDF business proposals, spreadsheets, marketing brochures, electronic books, even forms that can be filled in and submitted online! Adobe Acrobat also lets you protect your documents from unauthorized access or alterations, an important feature for documents containing confidential information, or for legal documents. Unlike Reader, Acrobat is not free. Purchased at the Adobe site, the program will cost about $250, while an upgrade from a previous version is about $99. You may be able to purchase Acrobat for less by searching online for discount vendors.

Acrobat PDF Writer...

The Acrobat PDF Writer is another component. This is actually a printer driver that creates PDF files from within any other program. The PDF Writer printer driver is installed on your computer when you install the main Adobe Acrobat program. Here's how it works... You can create a document using any software currently on your computer. Then, to convert it to a PDF document, you select the Print option, just as if you were going to print it, but instead of sending the document to your designated printer, you select Acrobat PDF Writer from you printer selection menu. The document does not actually "print", but instead is saved in PDF format. With PDF Writer you don't have to learn how to use Acrobat to create PDF documents, you can create them with the ease and comfort of programs you are already familiar with.

Acrobat Approval...

With Acrobat Approval 5.0, you can fill in, sign, and save interactive PDF forms. First, use Adobe Acrobat to create electronic forms that look just like the paper version but also include pop-up boxes, buttons, and fields that can include automatic calculations and validations. Next, Acrobat Approval software can be used to save eForms to your computer to fill in at your convenience, spell check, and apply encryption or password protection before submitting. Users can save the forms to their desktops, fill them out offline, and send them later. The integrated spell-checking feature quickly catches misspelled words and ensures the integrity of field data. The cost for Acrobat Approval 5.0 is about $39.

Acrobat Capture...

Acrobat Capture is a plug-in within Adobe Acrobat that lets users scan documents and convert them directly to PDF documents. Accurate OCR, advanced page and content recognition, and powerful cleanup tools let you turn all your paper-based information into high-quality electronic documents ready for publication via the Web, intranets, or CD-ROM. The cost for Adobe Capture is about $400 and up for professional versions.

Some less expensive options...

Less expensive alternatives to creating PDF documents are available. If you just need to create a few PDF documents, you can go to the Adobe Acrobat site and use their free service to convert up to 5 documents to PDF format. You can also subscribe to a service that will allow you to make unlimited PDF documents online for $9.99 a month.

You can also download free PDF conversion software at pdf995 or convert an unlimited number of documents online at PS2PDF - both featured at the top of this page.