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Adobe developed the Portable Document Format to standardize electronic document handling. PDF, the file format that carries the business world on its back, is everywhere, from product manuals to legal documents. To open, view, and edit PDFs, you need a PDF reader -- for example, Adobe's free Reader. Despite competition from simpler tools, Reader remains the standard the others are judged against. We looked at the latest version of Reader, Adobe Reader X. With it you can view and annotate all PDF files, sign documents electronically, and access optional Adobe Online subscription services directly from inside its interface.
Reader X's familiar interface opens with a quick-start file manager from which we could open a recent file or log in to an existing Adobe Online account. We clicked Open and browsed to a folder full of PDFs we use for testing. Reader rendered each document with high detail and faithful color reproduction. Clicking the Sign icon on Reader's toolbar let us digitally sign documents by adding text or attaching a signature via a wizard. We could also Print our document or e-mail it as an attachment or via Adobe SendNow. We could highlight text, add Sticky Notes, take a Snapshot, and attach Comments.
Reader has some extras that stripped-down competitors can't match, such as its Read Out Loud tool, which can read documents to you if you have sound capability. A Tracker tool monitors updates to Reviews and Forms. Under the Edit menu, entries labeled Protection, Analysis, and Accessibility let us manage security settings, check document accessibility, and analyze data using the Object Data Tool and Geospatial Location Tool. Reader doesn't lack support, either, starting with the sort of extensive Help file you'd expect from an Adobe product. The optional online services include converting PDFs to Word or Excel documents and creating PDFs using Adobe CreatePDF online. Clicking Tools toggles open the online extras.
As we noted, Adobe Reader X is the standard for freeware PDF readers, none of which can match Reader's capabilities and extras. Lighter, simpler tools are available, but Adobe's free reader remains the one to beat.
Publisher's Description
From Adobe Systems:
Adobe Reader lets you read and print from any system any document created as an Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file, with its original appearance preserved. PDF files are compact and can be shared, viewed, navigated, and printed exactly as the author intended by anyone with Adobe Reader.
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All versions:
2.9 starsout of 1,373 votes
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Current version:
2.2 starsout of 4 votes
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My rating:
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Results 1-4 of 4
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"CNET comment "You might as well install this now...""
Version: Adobe Reader X 10.1.4
Pros
It is a Reader
Cons
no redeeming value yet noted. The only reason to leave v9 is to stop the constant upgrade pop-ups. Once again add junk just for the sake of adding and remove or hide any useful tools trying to force a overpriced product upgrade. one more reason to migrate to ODF over PDF.
Summary
Judging from the dates on above reviews CNET 2008 review is a bit dated. The "dockable" tool bar is an absolute irritating idiotic annoyance! Just one more unnecessary click! It should have remained along the top line along with a useful set of tools now hidden or gone. If some clown at Adobe thinks these changes will enamor users to migrate they need a new job. Another, any other reader will be an improvement. This comment earns X a 5 star rating??? "You might as well install this now before a Web site you visit prompts you to download it, because you'll need it."
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"good programme given that its free"
Version: Adobe Reader X 10.1.4
Pros
seems to work well
Cons
none that i have found
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"worst for searching any line."
Version: Adobe Reader X 10.1.4
Pros
just read pdf files.
Cons
slow, non-supportive, many more
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"Won't print PDF. Fonts don't appear in menus."
Version: Adobe Reader X 10.1.4
Pros
Installation relatively painless. Removal seems work.
Cons
Installed version 10.1.5 in windows XP SP3 system. Would not print PDF file (large screen popped up with what appeared to be extremely large, distorted font - no characters appeared in popup menus). Attempted to change some options, but the popup menus displayed no characters. Reversion to 9.5 fixed problem, but will probably use Foxit in future.
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