According to Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org), English is the third most spoken native language worldwide. In addition, English is the most widely learned second language in the world. Because so many people know English, it has become somewhat of a universal language.
Just as English is a universal language across the globe, Adobe’s PDF (Portable Document Format) is a universal language across computing platforms. Macs, PCs, and mobile devices can read PDFs without frustrating lost-in-translation errors. What’s even better is that the PDF reader, Adobe Reader, is free and readily available from Adobe, so anyone to whom you send a document will be able to open it without having to purchase software. Likewise, PDFs are also handy when you want to take something to a print shop. Even if the print shop uses computers with vastly different software than the system you used to create the document, the printer should be able to accurately print your PDF file.
 PDF Benefits
Arguably, one of the reasons why PDF has become so popular is because Adobe Reader, which enables a user to open and print documents, is free. Beyond that, PDFs offer a number of other important benefits. One of the greatest is that it keeps all formatting, layouts, fonts, and graphics intact from computer to computer. In other words, PDF files look exactly like their original counterparts. This eliminates any changes that can occur when trying to move documents from one computer to another. Also, with PDFs, users aren’t required to have the same programs or fonts installed on their computers as the file’s creator. If you’ve ever tried to move a document from one word processing application to another on a different computer, you’ve probably experienced the frustrations of layout and formatting changes. PDFs can eliminate these frustrations by creating common ground between the two systems. | 
You can edit a PDF document using the highlight, cross out, and other editing tools in ScanSoft PDF Converter Professional 3.
| In addition to the ability to open a PDF document anywhere, PDFs offer the ability to password-protect documents and prevent unauthorized viewing and altering while still allowing authorized users to comment and edit the document. PDF files also incorporate full text search features for locating words, bookmarks, and data fields to make navigation though a multipage document quick and easy.
PDF Pitfalls
A limitation to the PDF format is that users can’t create and edit documents without special software. The free version of Acrobat Reader only enables users to view and print PDF files. If you want to create or edit PDF documents, you’ll need a separate program. Because Adobe is the inventor of the PDF format, some people assume that they must purchase Adobe Acrobat 7.0 (Standard version, $299; Professional version, $449; www.adobe.com) in order to create or edit PDF files. However, Acrobat isn’t your only option. While Acrobat is a robust program that will unlock the full functionality of the PDF format for your uses, it is also quite expensive, and there are more affordable alternatives.
There are a number of free programs that let you create PDF documents. CutePDF Writer (free; www.cutepdf.com), PrimoPDF (free; www.primopdf.com), and PDF ReDirect (free; www.exp-systems.com) are just a few. All three of these programs let you create a PDF document from any program that can print. They do this by setting themselves up as a printer on your computer. Instead of producing a hard copy document, these programs create a PDF file of your document.
Each of these programs offers different functionality. CutePDF Writer is a no-frills, simple program that will create a PDF document as easily as printing a document. PrimoPDF gives you the ability to choose PDF settings; set document properties such as author, title, subject, and keywords; and also to set password and security options. PDF ReDirect lets you create PDF files, append documents to existing PDF documents, and encrypt PDF files for greater security.
Of course, these free programs only let you create a document, not edit it. The Standard version of Acrobat is suitable for most general users who want to create and edit PDF files, but anyone who wants to create and edit fillable PDF forms will need the Professional version. Here again, though, there are alternatives for users who’d like similar functionality at a more affordable price.
Acrobat Alternatives
If you want the ability to create and edit PDF documents and PDF forms without the high cost of Adobe Acrobat Professional, consider one of these alternatives. ScanSoft PDF Converter Professional 3 ($99.99; www.nuance.com) lets you edit a PDF file by converting it to an editable format such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group). In addition, this program also lets you create PDF forms and add watermarks and stamps to your PDF documents. In comparison, the ability to add watermarks to a document is available with Acrobat Standard, but the ability to create PDF forms is only available with the Professional version of Acrobat. | 
ScanSoft PDF Converter Professional 3 gives users the ability to view, save, create, convert, and edit PDF files from a single application.
| Nitro PDF Professional ($99; www.nitropdf.com) is another alternative. For $350 less than Acrobat Professional, Nitro PDF Professional offers some of the same functionality, including the ability to create PDF forms and generate bookmarks and hyperlinks automatically.
PDF Converter Professional 3, Nitro PDF Professional, Acrobat Standard, and Acrobat Professional share common ground in regard to their editing functions.
All three programs let users add feedback to PDF files using commenting tools that include the ability to highlight, underline, and cross out text. With these programs, users can also add comments in the form of sticky notes and modify some of the document’s properties such as text color, author, and subject.
If you’re looking for the ability to edit existing PDFs in Microsoft Word or Excel or want to convert PDF files into HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) files and don’t need the additional functionality that some of the other PDF-editing programs provide, ABBYY PDF Transformer ($49.99; www.abbyy.com) might be a good option. Although PDF Transformer does not offer extensive editing options and format conversion options, it makes up for it with its lower price.
Solid Converter ($49.95; www.soliddocuments.com) is similar to PDF Transformer in that it lets you convert PDF files to Word documents and vice versa. Here again, though, you won’t have the forms functionality or advanced PDF-editing capabilities of the more expensive programs. Even so, Solid Converter gives you the ability to preserve or change page layouts and text—including columns, tables, and fonts—when you convert a PDF file to Word.
Start Your Conversion Engines
Given the fact that the PDF format is a universal language for moving documents from computer to computer, it’s no surprise that there are a number of PDF-creation products from which to choose. In fact, PDFs have become so popular that Microsoft is even getting on board. In an October 2005 interview, Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky told PressPass that the next version of Office will have the ability to output PDF documents using the Save As command from Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This new version, code-named Office 12, is scheduled to ship in the second half of 2006. Although this new PDF functionality for Office may be more limited than some of the aforementioned alternatives, Microsoft is making a statement about the utility of PDF files by incorporating this functionality. 
by Jennifer Johnson
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