Rating: 
Summary: For functionality and reliable cross-platform compatibility.
Review: Acrobat 5.0 can convert any file type from its application's print command into a PDF, which, when viewed by someone with the free Acrobat Reader, will look the same as you created it, irrespective of their monitor's resolution setting, or computer platform. This means that a document containing text and images will look correct on screen and when printed. At present, the Adobe PDF format is the only means of achieving this.You can create a navigation path within your PDF using the Bookmarks feature. Highlight and add annotations to sections of the document. And include hyperlinks as in an HTML page, etc. Using Acrobat to create a bookmarked photo-gallery, for example, will result in a file much smaller than an equivalent HTML item when you use Acrobat's screen-optimised Distiller settings, and with all the images retained within the PDF itself, instead of split between a contents folder and its associated HTML page. The PDF can be secured so that your images and text are secure from simple pilfering. The security settings in Acrobat 5.0 are a little more comprehensive than was available in 4.0. Examples being password encryption at 128 bits, and print resolution options of high and low. Even so, PDF security is a matter of hot debate at present, as is security in any computer format. So don't get overly confident. Only regard a secured PDF as being safe from access or tampering by Joe Public. In the case of my photo-gallery example I can secure the PDF from interference in the Reader and the application by using a password. But the images can still be extracted in a PC by simply hitting the print-screen key and then pasting the clipboard contents into an image application such as Photoshop. This also applies to text which can then saved as a TIFF file and processed in an OCR application such as Fine Reader 5.0 Pro, or by straight transcription. Some features are now more easily accessed: Distiller and Security settings being two. Whether or not Acrobat 5.0 is a major improvement over 4.0 is superfluous, since 4.0 will soon be unavailable. 5.0 does everything that 4.0 did, and more, but some of the features are not backwards compatible with earlier versions of the reader. Users of your files will have to be forewarned if you are using such features, to upgrade their reader. Adobe claim over 200 million Acrobat Reader installations, but that includes readers of 3.0, 4.0, and 4.05 vintage. An example of incompatibility would be an access password set at 128 bits. The recipient must have the 5.0 reader installed to gain entry. Sorry to rabbit on about this, but it is a current point of contention as to why PDFs are not used as often as they might be. Joe Public seems to have an aversion to updating even their internet browser, which is why web-masters have such a fun time keeping their web-sites as compatible as possible. PDFs can be used instead of HTML pages on your web-site but for maximum compatibility you will have to ensure that all important features can be read by a 3.0 reader. Bit of a pain, but there you are. Keep your PDFs simple and there shouldn't be a problem. When you buy Acrobat 5.0, and you haven't any prior experience, I would recommend that you buy and work your way through Adobe's Acrobat 5.0 - Classroom in a Book. This, in conjunction with the Acrobat help guide ( Help > Help guide ), will tell you all that you need to know. Methodically work your way through the classroom book first though. It'll be a lot easier if you do. A well designed PDF is the best way for you to communicate your intentions whether that be an e-book, technical supplement, or a photo-gallery
Rating:
Summary: Much needed upgrade
Review: Acrobat for Windows (and other Adobe software) is expensive. Way too much. Every Adobe program costs hundreds of dollars, and only recently they started offering product suites that greatly reduce the cost of ownership. Acrobat is included in every such collection. The problem with such collections (4 programs) is that the price tag approaches 4 digits. All of these suites contain Acrobat (4.0), the heading program of "e-paper solutions". If the changes from version 3.0 to version 4.0 were profound, then the change to version 5.0 is much more than substantial, it's overwhelming. REMARKS FOR FIRST-TIME USERS: If you don't already know that, here is a short, but important message for newcomers to the PDF world: if you only need to read PDF files - you do not need Adobe Acrobat - just download a free Acrobat *Reader* from Adobe website. If you need to create the simplest possible version of PDF documents, there are free tools on the web that will allow you to do that. Acrobat is a powerful program that is designed to assist you in almost every aspect of publishing electronic documents online, or sharing them in a multi-platform environment. Hence, as this software is expensive - you might reconsider your purchase. If you regularly publish important stuff online and you work in a potentially multi-platform environment or the whole network AND you think seriously about your work, then Acrobat is for you (this is why I tested and bought yet another upgrade). Nevertheless, this powerful tool may be too much. If you need to distribute files among friends or post some messages online, you might consider using HTML (available even via any word-processing software like Word). PDF format is really designed to be multi-platform - and you have to pay a "nice" price for the opportunity to create such documents. WHY IS THE UPGRADE WORTH YOUR ATTENTION: For the first time in Acrobat history you are able to RESTRUCTURE existing PDF documents. It's especially useful when you no longer have the original version of the file from which PDF was created. To this end, Acrobat uses the RTF format recognizable by every word processor. Acrobat can publish user-interactive documents online - with integrated (yet still limited) options used in productivity office suites: calculation, spell-checking, multi-user collaboration. You can specify permissions on distributed documents, like allowing/disallowing printing, changing or copying text to clipboard. Newly supported encryption is now 128 bit. Finally, FINALLY, Adobe decided to simplify the user interface a little. Now, more than ever, Acrobat toolbars are much more customizable - you can arrange them in the floating Photoshop-type way, or use all toolbars (including new formatting toolbar) at once, as in Microsoft software. This is a step in a good direction. Last, but not least, you have a PDF repair utility. It is especially useful when you use a browser plug-in (Acrobat integrates with MSIE and Netscape) to save a web page, or capture it and convert to PDF. There is a high probability that the file will include unnecessary portions of html code, including scripts. That's a very good reason to upgrade, if not anything else. REMARKS: PDF writer (a simple PDF-producer included as a "virtual" PDF printing option) fails more often than not and in order to have correct results, it's better to use Distiller (a full-featured virtual PDF printing engine) which may be not user-friendly to new users. Still, in this version 5.0 the old truth remains the same: not every graphics object you have in your document will be converted - sometimes you will get a blacked area instead of the picture. There is no other way around than experimenting with the file type, which may be confusing in some productivity applications. SUMMARY: Powerful tool for those who really need multi-platform secure document creation and distribution. It's still relatively-user unfriendly. If you have already used a previous version, 4.0., do not hesitate. If you are contemplating first-time purchase, read the above remarks and think twice. That's of course if you have enough money to buy Acrobat.
Rating:
Summary: The industry standard!!
Review: Acrobat has become the industry standard for creating PDF (portable document format) files for one very good reason... quality. Adobe, with the exception of InDesign, puts out some of the best programs for the graphics industry. Now, with the inclusion of the notation capability formerly available as the separate Acrobat Business Tools, Acrobat is a complete suite of tools to make life easier. .... And, OSX users will want to know that Adobe is working on a Carbonized version for the latest Mac OS.
Rating: 
Summary: Beware if you are upgrading from Version 3
Review: Acrobat is an indispensible but overpriced utility. With the ubiquity of the PDF format, all applications really need to start having "Save as PDF" as a built-in function. Until then, we need Acrobat to save files in a shareable format. I foolishly believed the packaging that states this is an upgrade from version "4.0 and earlier." Don't believe it! I had a full legal version of 3.01, and the 5.0 installer refused to recognize it. Adobe tech support refused to give me a 6 digit key code until I faxed them proof of purchase for both versions 3 and 5! Once they received the fax, they then refused to provide the key code unless I was physically at my PC at home. I wasted a whole week fooling around with Adobe, and their only excuse was "this is company policy." Well, it is not my policy to support companies that treat their customers like suspected criminals... Acrobat is an essential utility and performs as it should, so it is great for that. But its price for what it is mainly used for, it's deceitful packaging, and its terrible customer relations bring it down to a mere 3 on a scale of 1 to 5.
Rating: 
Summary: IT'S GOOD! IT'S SMOOTH-RUNNING!
Review: Adobe Acrobat 5.0 is a smooth-running program that converts any unconverted document into a Portable Document Format, (pdf). The free (downloadable) version is good; but convenient only for viewing documents. Thus, if you must create and manipulate your own pdf files, you'll need to buy this (relatively expensive) full version. It comes with extra flexibility: including enhanced security and integration options. Very few complaints have gone against this 5.0 version. The only sour point I am aware of is that it is exorbitant.
Rating: 
Summary: Too much money
Review: Adobe Acrobat in my opinion is not powerful enough as a product to tweak output. Extremely cumbersome. It basically is just another way of printing documents (read PRINTER DRIVER) from other programs and ... is too much for a printer driver. I've also found in order to get decent graphical output you have to cut down on the compression but then get HUGE Acrobat files (I've seen them up to 4MB!).
Adobe got the world hooked on lightweight portable documentation but comes up far short when creating/editing them in this product.
I found a simple, easy to use product which creates small Acrobat files of high quality. It is integrated right into MS Word with a macro but you can "print" Acrobat files from anything...
Rating: 
Summary: How about an instruction manual??!!
Review: Adobe Acrobat may be a great product, but frankly I wouldn't know because they don't provide the least little bit of an instruction manual when you purchase the software. I thought that when I spent $... I would get a basic "How to get started" manual. Oh, and if you think that Adobe has some online tutorials, well they do.... ... ...
Rating:
Summary: Absolute Aggravation
Review: Adobe Acrobat remains the standard for business and government distribution of electronic formatted documents. The free Acrobat Reader is used to view corporate reports, technical manuals, tax forms and formatted online documents. Acrobat Reader works on every platform: PC, Mac, and Unix. Adobe Acrobat 5.0 software lets you convert any document to a PDF file. Your document's layout, fonts, links, and images will remain intact when your use Adobe Acrobat. What's new in the Adobe Acrobat 5.0 program? PDF Writer is missing. Adobe Acrobat Distiller is added as a System printer. Also, added are enhanced security features like 128-bit encryption for passwording files and digital signatures. In addition, you have a new user interface and new Adobe Acrobat palette comments, information, fields and tags. Adobe Acrobat has new menu commands, catalog, distiller, spelling and the unique function of saving Adobe Acrobat on the web. You can also create eBooks using Adobe Acrobat. In addition, Adobe Acrobat allows you to drag and drop new PDF files into the Master PDF. Electronic Comments and Acrobat PDF Forms Adobe Acrobat can shorten your document review cycles. Writers and reviewers can add comments such as electronic sticky notes and text highlights. You can use Adobe Acrobat to receive comments from multiple reviewers. Reviewers can add electronic comments quickly to an online Adobe PDF file.
Gather information and reduce costs with Acrobat PDF forms. Create interactive forms that look like their paper versions. Now you can easily link the forms to a Web server, so that computer users can fill them in and digitally sign them from within their Web browser. You can use Photoshop 7 or Photoshop Elements to capture your files into Adobe Acrobat. Also, most scanners allow you to save your work in PDF with your scanners' OCR (Optical Character Reader) program. This allows you to print your work as a PDF file. Pro Reaction You can determine the skill levels of Adobe Acrobat person from novice to intermediate and finally to expert based on their PDF files work. In Adobe Acrobat's thumbnail palette you can insert new pages quickly. Create documents anyone can open. Easily convert your Microsoft Office documents to Adobe PDF. Gather research information from the Web by downloading and converting Web pages to an Adobe PDF file. Then, you can save them as an Adobe PDF file with active links. Con Reaction Navigation changes in the Adobe Acrobat menus. The Adobe Capture document in Acrobat does not work on the Macintosh. Final Notes I use Acrobat both for my business and home use. The cross-platform of Acrobat reader has made my work easier when dealing with clients of the Windows' persuasion. Acrobat has been and remains one of my most important applications.
Rating:
Summary: Acrobat the Standard for Business Electronic Information
Review: Adobe Acrobat remains the standard for business and government distribution of electronic formatted documents. The free Acrobat Reader is used to view corporate reports, technical manuals, tax forms and formatted online documents. Acrobat Reader works on every platform: PC, Mac, and Unix. Adobe Acrobat 5.0 software lets you convert any document to a PDF file. Your document's layout, fonts, links, and images will remain intact when your use Adobe Acrobat. What's new in the Adobe Acrobat 5.0 program? PDF Writer is missing. Adobe Acrobat Distiller is added as a System printer. Also, added are enhanced security features like 128-bit encryption for passwording files and digital signatures. In addition, you have a new user interface and new Adobe Acrobat palette comments, information, fields and tags. Adobe Acrobat has new menu commands, catalog, distiller, spelling and the unique function of saving Adobe Acrobat on the web. You can also create eBooks using Adobe Acrobat. In addition, Adobe Acrobat allows you to drag and drop new PDF files into the Master PDF. Electronic Comments and Acrobat PDF Forms Adobe Acrobat can shorten your document review cycles. Writers and reviewers can add comments such as electronic sticky notes and text highlights. You can use Adobe Acrobat to receive comments from multiple reviewers. Reviewers can add electronic comments quickly to an online Adobe PDF file.
Gather information and reduce costs with Acrobat PDF forms. Create interactive forms that look like their paper versions. Now you can easily link the forms to a Web server, so that computer users can fill them in and digitally sign them from within their Web browser. You can use Photoshop 7 or Photoshop Elements to capture your files into Adobe Acrobat. Also, most scanners allow you to save your work in PDF with your scanners' OCR (Optical Character Reader) program. This allows you to print your work as a PDF file. Pro Reaction You can determine the skill levels of Adobe Acrobat person from novice to intermediate and finally to expert based on their PDF files work. In Adobe Acrobat's thumbnail palette you can insert new pages quickly. Create documents anyone can open. Easily convert your Microsoft Office documents to Adobe PDF. Gather research information from the Web by downloading and converting Web pages to an Adobe PDF file. Then, you can save them as an Adobe PDF file with active links. Con Reaction Navigation changes in the Adobe Acrobat menus. The Adobe Capture document in Acrobat does not work on the Macintosh. Final Notes I use Acrobat both for my business and home use. The cross-platform of Acrobat reader has made my work easier when dealing with clients of the Windows' persuasion. Acrobat has been and remains one of my most important applications.
Rating:
Summary: Does Not Work As Advertised
Review: Adobe claims Acrobat will PDF "any" document. This is not true. Example: It will PDF a Microsoft Word document if the document dimentions are set at 8.5 x 11 inch, but it certainly will not PDF a small paperback size book such as 6 x 9 size. The top of each page will be cut off and table of contents will not form, etc. A very strong defect in this Acrobat program that should be fixed. As a book publisher, we contacted Adobe about a year ago on this problem and they never responded back to us. This defect cripples the Acrobat program. Any book you plan to publish had better be 8.5 x 11. No other sizes will work, using Microsoft Word software. We even contacted a bestselling PDF author and even he could not get Acrobat to PDF a small book size in Microsoft Word. Yes, there are settings to select in Acrobat to PDF smaller size documents, but still the Acrobat software fails to make the adjustments and PDF the document. A very major and persistant problem Adobe has refused to correct. Acrobat will not PDF "any" document, as advertised.
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