dot exe: PDF substitutes

This icon is a headache for many people

dot exe is a section that covers software. Mostly software for PC as that is what i own and am fluent with, but i'm sure i'll throw in a bone to the MACs every now and then

Most of you out there know what a PDF file is. Which means most of you know what Acrobat Reader is. Now those of you that use Acrobat reader have started to realise that with all those updates and sluggish loading times, Acrobat Reader can be quite a pain in the neck.

Luckily for us, there are substitutes out there that do the job Acrobat Reader does, only better.

First i would like to introduce Foxit Reader. This is a fantastic alternative for all those that are willing to try something new. Its a particularly small piece of software that loads in a fraction of the time that Acrobat Reader does. In comparison, Foxit needs a download of 7mb versus Acrobat Reader's 46mb . But what does this mean for you, the user?

Well, a smaller package means that its a "lighter" piece of software, using up a lot less resources on your PC. Also because its not hugely popular, hackers target it less which in turn means that there is no need to keep on patching it, keeping it lean and fast.

Another huge advantage is that it kept up with the times and introduced "tabs" for viewing PDF's. Instead of opening a separate window for each PDF, it will keep the same window but open a new tab just like most modern web browsers do. This reduces clutter on your taskbar, and makes it easier to find the document you're looking for if you have multiple ones open!

PDF, making documents Read Only!

Now I tend to get asked a lot for software that can turn documents to PDF. Those of you that would like to send out documents that you would rather not have anyone tamper with, PDF is a great solution. I'm not saying its impossible to edit PDFs, but most people don't have the knowhow. And luckily for us, there are also free alternatives to create PDF's!

I tend to use Cute PDF Writer. Its tiny and incredibly simple to use! Just download and install it, following its very simple instructions. To create your PDF's all you need to do is select "Cute PDF Writer" in your printer list, and print your document to that. It will then ask you for a Name and Location, et voila! All done!

There are many other alternatives out there, but i find these two do the job just fine. I suggest you give them a try and see for yourself :)

thanks for reading!