to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader, that will allow you
to view PDF documents, click on the logo:
What are Adobe Acrobat documents?
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) documents are just another MIME document type on
the web, like movies, JPEG or GIF files. Traditionally these files have
an extension of ".PDF". Many web
browsers directly support the PDF format natively or through plug-ins,
otherwise an external application, the Adobe Acrobat Reader, is required
to view these documents. This plug-in or
external helper application, which is available free from Adobe, allows
a document to be viewed exactly as it was intended on all platforms. It
may then also be printed or stored on your
local system for later viewing.
What do I have to do to view Adobe Acrobat Documents?
To view and print PDF documents you must have a browser that supports
the PDF format natively or through plug-ins (e.g. Netscape or Microsoft
Internet Explorer) or you can use an
external application, such as the Adobe Acrobat Reader or Adobe Acrobat
Exchange. Both the plug-ins and Adobe Acrobat Reader are free from Adobe
Systems. Complete
instructions for installation are included with the software.
If your browser does not have native or plug-in support for the PDF
MIME type, your web browser can either be configured to launch an external
"helper application" or it will download
the file for external viewing. Instructions for configuring popular
web browsers are available from Adobe.
Free Adobe Acrobat Readers and PDF plug-ins are available for
the Macintosh, Microsoft DOS, Microsoft Windows, and Sun Unix systems.
For information about how to download
the software and configure it, please read the instructions from Adobe's
web site, http://www.adobe.com/.
Can I save the PDF document to my hard disk?
Yes. Select the document with your web browser. If your browser is configured
to recognize PDF files properly, it will display on your screen and you
can save it in your browser. If not
your browser does not support PDF files or is configured incorrectly,
it will most likely ask if you want to download the document as a file
on your system.
Do a lot of people publish documents on the Internet in Acrobat format?
Why?
Yes. Many sites publish documents on the Internet using the Acrobat
format since it allows the document to be distributed exactly the way it
was designed. Any two people who view or
print a PDF document will see exactly the same output. Different web
browsers often produce different results, and can use different fonts and
formating. For instance, the Internal
Revenue Service uses Acrobat to make its tax forms available online.
By using PDF format, they can be assured their forms will appear exactly
the same as the printed ones.