PDF Reading and Writing
rev. 19 January 2008
Readers
Foxit Reader- License: Freeware
- Description: Foxit Reader is an extremely fast PDF reader for Windows. It doesn’t have all the features of Adobe’s official client, but it opens in a split second, and it has a low footprint. Extra features for the program are available at a cost, but if all you need to do is read and print PDF files, the freeware Reader will be just fine.
PDF XChange Viewer- License: Freeware
- Description: A new freeware PDF viewer with a bit more functionality than other available readers, PDF XChange Viewer sports a modern–if somewhat inconsistent–interface and pretty low resource usage.This program comes in a native x64 version.
Sumatra PDF viewer- License: Open Source
- Description: The barest of the bare, Sumatra PDF viewer is a super-lightweight viewer that does a single job very well. There are no bells and whistles here; there’s also no overhead. If you’re looking for a minimalistic viewer, Sumatra is for you.
Printers/Writers
PDFCreator- License: Open Source
- Description: PDFCreator is an addition to Windows that will add a PDF creator as a virtual printer (it uses Ghostscript for the generation); there is a GUI for easy conversion written in Visual Basic. A good alternative for those of us who want to create PDFs from various sources without installing Adobe software.
doPDF- License: Freeware
- Description: doPDF is a lightweight installable PDF printer for Windows. In this respect, it’s similar to PDFCreator, but it’s only freeware, not open source.
- BullZip PDF Printer
- License: Freeware
- Description: BullZip PDF printer requires the additional download and install of Ghostscript (which printers like PDFCreator automate), but afterwards functions exactly like other PDF printers.
pdf995
although it comes with ad support but if you take a look at the extra security features it has to offer, in my personal opinion its incredible. adding password protection,content printing restriction, content copying restriction, adding up different pdf files into one. i am graphics designer and i need to send out a lot of proofs to my customers before i commence with the job, pdf 995 allows me to add in the security i need so that some other guy may not be able to copy my design, it allows me to print jpegs into low res as well.