Although I am avid hater of Adobe Acrobat, I do find PDF format itself to be quite useful. Knowing that your document is going to look a certain way when you receipient recieves it is invaluable. Nothing worse than sending out a resume or similar document in Word only to find out that when it was openned it looked entirely different due to a difference in the versions of their software. So because of this, the PDF format is widely used and nearly every computer, whether it be a Mac or PC, can open a PDF file. Unfortunately most users aren’t aware of the alternatives to Adobe Acrobat, nor are they aware of just how terrible a product Adobe Acrobat is.
Reading PDF Documents
There are numerous alternatives to Adobe Acrobat out there that are much more light weight and stable. My prefered option has always been Foxit Reader. It is a free product, and comes with a browser plugin. There is no mention of Windows 8 compatibility but if you grab the latest windows version it will work perfectly.
Another excellent option is Sumatra PDF, which is an open source product that keeps it simple. There are no bells or whistles with this product, but it works and it loads fast. Plus it works out of the box in Windows 8!
Writing PDF Documents
Most people don’t realize how simple it is create a PDF document. There are many ways it can be done, but I have always recommending installing fake print drivers that output your document to a PDF rather than to your printer. There are many products available that do this, but I have always been a supporter of Primo PDF. Their free version provides all the functionality that 99% of PC users would require. It advertises compatibility with Windows 98/NT/2000/XP/Vista but does not mention Windows 8. I have been using it now for several months in Windows 8 and have had not a single issue.
A seasoned Senior Solutions Architect with 18 years of experience in technology design and implementation. Renowned for innovative solutions and strategic insights, he excels in driving complex projects to success. Outside work, he is a passionate fisherman and fish keeper, specializing in planted tanks.