I hate Adobe Acrobat

[ruffboy]

don't give in to hate

 

[tripod]

I don't know why the heavy use of PDF files is common on the net.
My sister is an educator and she hates them with a passion too.

I am using the Firefox browser and have the PDF plugin which loads PDF files right in the browser in a new tab. Only takes a second or two with cable broadband. I don't even have Adobe at all. If I want to save it then Preview can open it later. Oh, I am using a Mac running OS-X, which is a Unix based OS. I don't know if that Firefox plugin is available for Windows. I didn't get along to well with Windows or IE anyway. I am Running nearly all freeware programs now. Only those that came with the machine plus Roxio's Toast are commercial. I love Unix.

Fuck Yeah!!!!!!!

 

[BJT]

Also hate PDF's I can't open them in my browser because the school won't give us the proper liscence. So that means I have to download the file to view it...so I usually don't see it

 

[Humblestud]

I just have to chime in "me too". I understand the business use of PDF, but really hate it as a file format and moreso as a reader. I just broke Adobe's stupid updater as it popped up when I really didn't need it, and while "AR Speedup" stripped most of the accessability crap out of earlier versions, I doubt it works on 8. I just downloaded 8-actually, I had to download their download manager to get the installable, then delete the download manager to avoid my previous issue. Not to mention that in order to overcome it's slow load time, Reader wants to park part of itself in memory at startup-thereby slowing everything else down.

So I install 8, and what does it say? It comes right out and says it might be slow loading because my disk is fragmented! It's as defragmented as it can get, and NO other program has ever told me that. I work in IT, and it's just stupid that Adobe isn't paying more attention to how bad their reader is.

Thanks for a non-bloated replacement. Hopefully Foxit will fixit.

 

[ruffboy]

i love adobe. and windows. and GMC. and coke. and wal-mart. and america.

 

[chris4869]

Take a deep breath people. :smile:

I think it's a great tool, but many people misuse it.

I like to convert my online purchase/receipts to PDF for my record instead of printing it (easier to file and stored).

 

[DC_DEEP]

I agree with the other posts about the "necessary evil" use of .pdf for preserving both text and symbols; and I agree with the posts about disdain for Adobe's bloated, sluggish program. Another thing that hasn't been mentioned so far is how disproportionately HUGE the .pdf files are.

The awkward, inelegant solution is using .rtf for strictly text files, and .jpg for strictly low- to mid-resolution images, and .tif for high-resolution images.

Apple's Preview is indeed a MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH better viewer for .pdf files, though. Less memory used, much faster, infinitely easier to use. Hmm, now that I think about it, Apple's QuickTime is so much better than Microsoft's Windows Media Player. Apple should consider coding a lot more software for the Windows platform. Who knows, maybe it's in the works, now that the Macs are running Intel chips???

 

[kamikazee_club]

Yeah, loading time takes forever on some connections. My boss still uses dial up and it takes forever and a day to open a PDF.

Like any format PDF has it's advantanges and drawbacks. More the former for me but the format has been around for years and it's not going away soon.

Why would anyone ever post something to the internet in pdf format? It's so freaking irritating. Just put it up in html. Every time you click on a link that takes you to a pdf file it has to load Adobe Acrobat first. There's no warning or anything, and then it takes sometimes literally upwards of 3-5 minutes to load the stupid program, during which time you can't do anything else. Why does it take so long to load this dumb text viewing program? It's not that advanced. I don't even own the full version. Why can I load Microsoft Word in 15 seconds and it takes 3 minutes to open Adobe Acrobat? Is it really necessary that it freezes up my web browser and most other applications I have open while it is loading? I hate this program.

It's not always practical, or even possible to recreate a complex layout in HTML. It's bad practice to link to a NON HTML document without a format icon but most do it. You must have a problem with your PC if it takes over 5 mins to load adobe.

Make sure you have at least V6 which allows page by page streaming. That way the reader opens and displays the first page, additional pages are downloaded on demand. Alternatively right click the link, save the doc and open it locally or click the 'Save a copy' button and do the same. I'd recommmend uninstalling what you have and re-installing rather than an upgrade, IE etc sometimes have problems with activating the plugin that way, same if you upgrade the browser around the plugin you sometimes get a 'blank' window when viewing a pdf. I think it's a problem with the browser but a re-install of acrobat always (almost always) fixes it.

It's not really Adobe's fault your PC has problems opening the reader, I have used PDF since V2 and can count the lockups etc on my fingers. It's not a 'dumb' text reader, that's what your browser is (or Word or notepad etc). Read about what Acrobat can do and you will understand why it's used, or sometimes I agree, misused.

Having said that I have often wanted to take a hatchet to a PC for some reason or another, so I understand your frustration.

 

[VictorV]

Don't blame Adobe for that. People shouldn't use PDF to distribute mere "text"; that's like using an armored-truck
service to deliver a postcard.

On the other hand, I'd dread seeing how something like this would come out in the wrong browser if attempted in HTML. (And since it was something I had to submit for a grade, I sure wanted it to be right!)

I am not concerned with Acrobat's ability to reproduce document layout identically, that's fine.

I understand why Adobe would wish to put themselves in the position they have, this does not mean that I have to like it and I'll feel free to not like it.

When I say text I mean to refer to its character of being graphically represented information to be read by people, it's irrelevant to my point whether it includes graphics or diagrams.

"People shouldn't use PDF to distribute mere "text"" They do because they have been given the opportunity to maintain control over text, even when the text is in someone's possession, something of which I'm not terribly fond. My dislike of this stems from my wish to have the most control over information about myself, my private property, what I do on it and the least external control over anything in my personal possession. Electronic transmission of information from my home and remote control of anything in my home, although fairly benign in the case of PDF files, are both potentially insidious and invasive affronts to my privacy and freedom. I dislike things, on principle, that smack of small steps towards an Orwellian world. If I wish to take a file on my computer and print it, alter it or look at it every day for 5 years, then I should be free to do it with no invisible electronic fingers reaching onto my property and trying to stop me.

"...that's like using an armored-truck service to deliver a postcard." This is exactly my point. When something like digitized text is in my possession on my own property I do not like the idea that it can be encapsulated in a little digital armoured truck in the form of remotely controlled lifecycle policy settings and embedded digital rights management schemes. Privacy and freedom are things that everyone ought to be sensitive about.

If you understand this, then you'll understand why I dislike some aspects of PDF files. Let me see if I can do a little consciousness raising. Imagine books you could buy and take home but, if the publisher wished, the books would close up if you try to photocopy them or tear out a page. Worse still, the book could, without your knowledge or consent, notify someone of when you open it, how long you read it or only allow you to read it pending consultation of a remote source. Anyone else a little uncomfortable with that idea? There are things not so different from this: PDF files, they differ mainly from the analog(ue) (pun intended and, I admit, slightly obscure) books in that they are in a digital medium.

 

[Shelby]

I hate it too.

That's why I use foxit instead. Huge improvement.

 

[pseudocognomen]

I use Acrobat all the time to send copies of plans to contractors/clients. It protects my drawings and I don't have to worry about others trying to be cute and change anything and pass it off as their own design.

Do you ever have problems converting a large format print to pdf and retaining the original dimensions? It seems to be kind of hit and miss for me.

And I agree with those who bitch about it being a piece of crap. Bloatware in the truest sense of the word. Version 4 was okay but since then... sheesh! And I HATE that it forces it's way into my menu bars even when I deselect that option. Grrrrr!!!

 

[D_Thoraxis_Biggulp]

As aforementioned, it's used to protect data. Keep people from altering stuff. But I agree, some of it just isn't necessary. I've seen many pdf files that I looked at and thought "Why would someone try to pass this off as their own? What could they possibly gain from claiming public credit for it? Would anybody care?"
It's like kids who put unabased copyright claims on video game walkthroughs, despite getting their information from a guide.

 

[Rikter8]

It's not really Adobe's fault your PC has problems opening the reader,

Oh Yes it is....

There are MAJOR lawsuits going on right now filed against Adobe.

The REASON why it's such a shitty program and fucking up all of your computers is that ADOBE PROTECTS THEIR REGISTRY KEYS from other programs modifying them - INCLUDING WINDOWS.

IE7 and Adobe 6.0 and 7.0 have major issues causing slow loads, corrupted registry entries, etc etc.

Adobe's answer? "Its microsofts fault, and were not changing anything to fix it."

If you are having issues, I would recommend downloading Foxit Reader.

But, first you need to make sure you REMOVE ADOBE completely, and then Use a registry cleaning tool to STRIP out the keys.
You will most likely have to Manually delete EACH key, and change the permissions from Read only to full access.
Just doing the "Add/Remove Programs" still leaves the folders, and registry keys in the windows registry, and you will continue to have problems!

C

 

[Ethyl]

Do you ever have problems converting a large format print to pdf and retaining the original dimensions? It seems to be kind of hit and miss for me.!

No, the dimensions don't change but the width of the colour lines will sometimes deviate which bugs the hell out of me. I prefer to use color to make the electrical/plumbing more user friendly to the client but i'll resort to black and white plans if I absolutely must.

 

[pseudocognomen]

No, the dimensions don't change but the width of the colour lines will sometimes deviate which bugs the hell out of me. I prefer to use color to make the electrical/plumbing more user friendly to the client but i'll resort to black and white plans if I absolutely must.

Maybe it's an incompatibility with powerpoint. I was given some 24x36 Powerpoint files for some signs we're using at a seminar and I had to convert them to pdf for our printer. I tried to..... oh my!!! <looks at mecurialbliss' gallery>... uh, what was I saying? Oh yeah, so I try to convert to pdf using a custom page size and <sneaks another peek.... mmmm!> it renders only a corner of the powerpoint image. Very frustrating! <sneaks one more peek to soothe brain> :smile:

 

[mindseye]

Ugh. Powerpoint. Now there's a piece of software I can't stand.

 

[GoneA]

Ugh. Powerpoint. Now there's a piece of software I can't stand.

Really? Why's that?

 

[mindseye]

Really? Why's that?

Well, two reasons:

Objectively, of the programs in Microsoft's office suite, Powerpoint is the one that does the poorest job of compatibility with other products. Word? It can read and export to other formats besides Word, such as .rtf, HTML (eh...), or if worse comes to worst, plain text. Excel? It can handle csv files, xml data, and even old Lotus 1-2-3 sheets.

A Microsoft user and a non-Microsoft user can share files between these programs, and as long as these files don't get too fancy in terms of formatting and special features, they'll get along.

But Powerpoint shares with practically nobody. Its HTML export feature is atrocious (and highly browser dependent), and it doesn't even have a built-in function to export slides as plain text.

And subjectively, I've had to sit in on sooo many meetings with ugly, contentless presentations filled with "bullet points" that don't say much. In my mind, I associate the spreadsheet with data and information, but I associate the Powerpoint file with sloppy thinking and bureaucratic PR.

 

[fluoro]

I guess I'm one of the few who appreciate Acrobat. High resolution files can be sent in a much smaller file format to anyone. Doesn't matter what platform or applications the recipient uses, the file can be opened and viewed as intended. It has truly revolutionized the publishing industry. No more surprises from the printer with improperly linked graphics or text files. I can still copy and paste text as needed (unless the creator has deliberately disabled that ability). Acrobat works reasonably quick on my Mac (using Acrobat 7.0 Professional) - the most trouble I encounter is creating pdf's with Acrobat Distiller.
I agree there is some bloat that has developed over the years, but that seems like a common problem with professional applications and to be fair, the functionality has increased. Most people only need a fraction of the tools available in Acrobat, Photoshop, Word, etc. - what's not needed is perceived as bloat. Another user may be using a very different group of tools within the same application and perceive the tools you use as bloat.
And I agree with Mindseye - I hate getting Powerpoint files.

 

[D_Humper E Bogart]

Well, at least it's better than getting a flash file!

.pdf are made for printing really. There are more imaginative ways to input info in html if one is talented.