Comments for Just what is PDF format, how do I view it, and why do people use it?

Comment from georgia on 2010-03-09

2010-03-09T18:19:59Z

How do I pull-up an old PDF file with no icon on my screen?

I don't understand the "no icon on the screen" comment. Open Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder containing the PDF, and double click on it. (I'm sure I'm missing something.)

10-Mar-2010

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A comment on: Just what is PDF format, how do I view it, and why do people use it?

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Comment from Kenneth Crook on 2008-11-01

2008-11-02T05:22:32Z

"assuming that everyone has Microsoft Word or PowerPoint. Not only are they not free"

Microsoft offers free Office Word/Excel/PowerPoint readers downloadable from their web site. You can not modify or create files, but you can read what others have sent you.

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A comment on: Just what is PDF format, how do I view it, and why do people use it?

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Comment from albert on 2008-10-29

2008-10-30T06:38:28Z

About editing PDF. PDF is just like a printed piece of paper not intended to be edited. However writing on it is possible.
For example the PDF-xchange viewer has a typing tool. If you want some thing gone you can use it to draw a filed rectangle across it.

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A comment on: Just what is PDF format, how do I view it, and why do people use it?

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Comment from mauro lembert on 2008-10-29

2008-10-29T14:45:56Z

any hints on how I can easily edit a PDF document? tks

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A comment on: Just what is PDF format, how do I view it, and why do people use it?

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Comment from avoidz on 2008-10-29

2008-10-29T13:08:00Z

Meh, all you Adobe Reader haters. It still does the best rendering. I use the Lite version which works just fine.

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A comment on: Just what is PDF format, how do I view it, and why do people use it?

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Comment from Stuart on 2008-10-28

2008-10-29T05:26:59Z

I'm sorry, but I just can't agree with PDF-bashers. It was, and is, an elegant solution to a problem that increases in complexity all the time. Back when I was teaching Physics, I used to post the solutions to homework assignments (AFTER they had been checked and discussed in class) on my web site. By simply scanning each page and using Adobe Acrobat to save it in PDF format, I was assured that every student would see every in its original form, in my handwriting. No matter what OS each student used, there was a free PDF reader available for each of them so I didn't need to worry about that. It was even easier with printed documents (labs, practice problems, old quizzes and tests) -- I just used Acrobat to create a copy in PDF format, no scanning required!

So a tip of my cap to the team at Adobe that invented this "universal translator" back in the early 1990's. The original Reader has become unwieldy due to Adobe's efforts to cram so many features into it. But it still works for me, as well or better than its competitors.

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A comment on: Just what is PDF format, how do I view it, and why do people use it?

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Comment from Martin on 2008-10-28

2008-10-29T00:19:03Z

Too many people make their manuals with 2" margins, and with each page starting "If you use Win98 do this, . . .If you use XP do that . . etc. "and then lock the text with a password!" so I can't just select the bits I want, and remove all that wasteful white space. I finish up printing ten pages instead of one, which is wasteful of paper and the result is not very easy to use. It is a good idea spoiled by the users (and by Adobe giving them that password). It used to be very sloooow, but as machines have got faster that's not quite such a problem.

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Comment from James on 2008-10-28

2008-10-28T22:55:46Z

I just wanted to say i use this:
http://pdf-xchange-viewer.en.softonic.com/

Its free,simple and im having no problems.
Using Vista Premium.

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A comment on: Just what is PDF format, how do I view it, and why do people use it?

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Comment from Margaret Louk on 2008-10-28

2008-10-28T19:36:41Z

I agree with you Foxit is so much better than Adobe. I changed after I had some major issues with Adobe and I can't believe how easy and fast Foxit is. Plus I learned what PDF means, thank you :).. Sincerely Margaret Louk

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Comment from Cat Moves on 2008-10-28

2008-10-28T17:08:42Z

PDF. An abomination whose time for destruction has come. It's humongous, slow, clunky, awkward and yuck.
I cannot (and will not) get used to the idea of my cursor becoming a grasping claw hand. Nor will having to learn techniques to use the program (note I do NOT use the word tool) appeal to me. Because by the next time I have a use for it, I will have forgotten the tricks needed to apply the program.
I am really not interested in learning and relearning and relearning and....

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A comment on: Just what is PDF format, how do I view it, and why do people use it?

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Comment from Frank on 2008-10-28

2008-10-28T16:30:26Z

I used Adobe Reader; but eventually it got to be mostly unreadable. I even uninstalled and reinstalled it a couple of times, to no avail. Then I downloaded Foxit, and I've had no problem since.

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A comment on: Just what is PDF format, how do I view it, and why do people use it?

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Comment from Fred Romig on 2008-10-28

2008-10-28T15:49:24Z

I prefer PDF-xchange (http://pdf-xchange-viewer.en.softonic.com/) over foxit.
Fred

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A comment on: Just what is PDF format, how do I view it, and why do people use it?

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Comment from Jim on 2008-10-25

2008-10-26T02:37:24Z

For purposes of this person, I would have expected you to push Foxit way ahead of anything Adobe does. Their software, as you know, is bloated and slow, and too needy...wants to update itself. I also understand some versions "phone home" too.

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A comment on: Just what is PDF format, how do I view it, and why do people use it?

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