Free alternatives to Adobe Acrobat

When you download a file in PDF format, the software that you use to read it is free. Adobe Reader (formerly Acrobat Reader) is the most popular tool for viewing PDF files, but it is not the only alternative. It can be sluggish and use lots of computer memory.

And, while Adobe provides a free reader to view PDF files, the company charges a hefty fee for their Adobe Acrobat program to create PDF files - e.g., for documents, ebooks, brochures, etc.

The Codswallop blog lists over 50 free alternatives to Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat. These include some advanced features such as encryption, compression and interactive forms. Many of the resources listed there are far more technological than I'll ever use, but just reading through them gives you an idea of all the things you can do with your content.

If all you're looking for is a quick way to convert Word to PDF, I recommend Zamzar or Media-Convert.

Fellow Mac users have PDF creation built into the Print function. Simply click to "print" your document, and in the popup window choose the PDF dropdown menu. This results in a very basic PDF document. For additional features you'll need to use Adobe or one of the programs listed in the Codwallop blog.


Pauline
teachmeinternet.com