I must download and read PDF documents daily, but I do not (yet) have a reason to create anything in Adobe.

My new Sony, however, came with the full Adobe Acrobat program installed on the computer, but it costs $400 to purchase the serial number that will "unlock" and make it useable.

When I download a PDF document, I get a message saying "Purchase now or Quit". To get around this, I am Saving the document, and then opening it with Adobe Reader.

Does anyone know how to turn off (?) the page that is asking me to purchase?

Am I being shortsighted? Will I eventually need Adobe Acrobat? What do you use it for?

I rarely have to use the full version of Acrobat--and I'm a graphic artist, having to create PDFs all the time. You use full version Acrobat to share PDFs and make comments--it's like an interoffice memo where people can suggest their changes on the actual document without modifying the document per se. The originator of the PDF would do that. I use Reader practically all of the time unless I have to merge PDFs together, delete pages, or things like that, and then I use the full version of Acrobat (on my Mac it's called Acrobat Professional). Hope that helps.

Google docs can create PDFs for free ... I've recently become a pretty big fan of Google docs, as I don't have Office on my home computer.

1) You need to make adobe reader the deafult option for PDF files rather than the full version of Acrobat. Assuming that you have XP or Visa, locate a PDF file on your PC, right click the file, then click "open with".

If Adobe reader is not listed, then click "choose Program" and find it in the list of displayed files, or by using browse. Then tick the box that says "Always use the selected program to open this type of file".

2) A very good alternative to Microsoft Office is Open office from Here.

I use it a great deal, and it will open, and save to, most formats.

TimW

On a Mac you can always create a PDF from any document (or web page) by selecting Print and then choosing PDF instead of a printer. Does Windows have an option like that? I find it very handy, for example, when I am printing a boarding pass or a receipt, to print first to PDF. That way if the printer locks up or something goes wrong with the printing, I can always regain the document and print it, and I have a copy I can keep on my computer.

- Roz

MarionP

I sound like you have the Adobe Stardard Version instead of the "free" Abode Reader.

I have both types of Abode products because I create PDF documents at work. At home I have the reader install on my PC because all I want to do is read PDF documents.

If you have the standard version or another version uninstall it, go to the Adobe website and download the Reader

Here is the link.

Bill

$400.00!!! What does it do?? Is it like Peachtree or Quicken? I just downloaded Abdobe reader and photoshop for $15.00 for 3 years. I didn't even want the photoshop but they came together and I thought "Oh well, I do need a new photo service since my laptop crashed and I lost the Costco photoshop that never worked anyway ."

Ginger

Thank you to everyone! I have Vista, and yes, the "standard" version of Adobe Acrobat (at $400) is that is loaded (but locked until you purchase a serial number). I also have Adobe Reader version 8.1 which is free.

I THINK that I now have Adobe Reader set as the default to open the documents I want to read. Seems to be working OK now.

I don't think that I will ever need to purchase Adobe Acrobat. I produce documents in WORD, and my clients can convert them to PDF documents if they want to later.

BTW, now that I am used to it, I really love the new WORD program in Vista. It has a constant "ribbon" of menu items, and it has a few new functions that really like. For example, when you paste something into WORD in Vista, it gives you the choice of pasting with the formatting of the original document or changing the formatting to match that of the document you are writing. One click and it's done! I do a lot of cut and paste, so this is a handy feature for me.

Something else that I got pre-loaded on this computer was OneNote. You can create a file folder with tabs and throw a bunch of notes on each page. This is terrific for doing research on various topics, and being able to see all of the headings at once. Then when I'm ready to create a report in WORD, I cut and paste from my notes in OneNote. There are a collection of pre-made tabs for notes re Travel, Recipes, CDs, Movies to watch, etc. I intend to use OneNote for planning my next trip.

Thanks again for everyone's help!

I have been using MS OneNote for the last six months and I love it! I use it instead of the Notes option in Outlook. I keep work things, travel things, even scanned recipes and New Yorker articles in it.

My new notebook has Vista and it does not seem that different from the previous Windows. Some of my old software has not worked, but I download the new version for Vista and then it works.

Hi Roz

XP does not include a feature for creating pdf files like you can with a Mac, but there are some excellent free programs that do this.

I use one called Primo PDF. When loaded it behaves like an additional printer, but produces pdf files to a location of your choice.

You can download it from here.

Ricardo

On my PC at work I do have the full Adobe package. Mostly to be able to create pdfs of Powerpoint presentations that take up a lot of file size. The File size goes down by a power of ten in a pdf, so I can email them over our Lotus network.

At Home I have the full Adobe Acrobat package but that is for a graphic arts business where I make beadpatterns and sell them over the web.

My Mac will create a pdf for me out of any document.