By Dale Farris, Reviews Coordinator
Golden Triangle PC Club
January 2007

Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional software is the simple way to create and share more secure and reliable Adobe PDF documents. Generate Adobe PDF files that accurately represent the original document, and take advantage of robust tools for sharing information and commenting on electronic files.

Communicate and collaborate with the essential PDF solution. Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional software enables business professionals to reliably create, combine, and control Adobe PDF documents for easy, more secure distribution, collaboration, and data collection.

Acrobat 8 is now available in three editions:

Acrobat 8 Professional
Acrobat 8 Standard
Acrobat 3D Version 8

What is PDF?

Invented by Adobe Systems and with more than fifteen years of innovation, Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) is a publicly available specification used by standards bodies around the world for secure, reliable electronic document distribution and exchange. Adobe PDF has been adopted by governments and enterprises to streamline document management, increase productivity, and reduce reliance on paper. Today, Adobe PDF is the standard, secure format for the electronic submission of drug approvals to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and for electronic case filing in U.S. federal courts. It is also the standard format used for advertising pages, in newspapers and magazines.

As an open file format specification, PDF is available to anyone who wants to develop tools to create, view, or manage PDF documents. More than 1,800 vendors offer PDF-based solutions.

Why Acrobat Professional?

Easily create Adobe PDF documents from Microsoft Office, Outlook, Internet Explorer, Project, Visio, Access, Publisher, AutoCAD®, Lotus Notes, or any application that prints.

Combine documents, drawings, and rich media content into a single, polished Adobe PDF document. Optimize file size, and arrange files in any order regardless of file type, dimensions, or orientation.

Enable users of Adobe Reader software (version 7 or 8) to participate in shared reviews. Use the Start Meeting button to collaborate in real-time with the new Adobe Acrobat Connect line of products.

Easily collect and distribute forms, combine collected forms into a searchable, sortable PDF package, and export collected data into a spreadsheet. (Windows only)

Control access to and use of Adobe PDF documents, assign digital rights, and maintain document integrity.

Preserve the look and integrity of your original documents — Adobe PDF files look exactly like the original pages and fulfill requirements for electronic filing and document security.

Share documents with anyone — Anyone can open Adobe PDF documents on any system — regardless of the software platform, the original application, or the availability of specific fonts — using free Adobe Reader software.

Easy to use — Adobe PDF files have more features to enhance usability than PDF files created from non-Adobe applications — embedded fonts, color profile information for more accurate color rendition across different systems, as well as tags in the document that reflow the pages for different screen displays.

More secure document exchange — With Adobe Acrobat 8.0 or Adobe LiveCycle software, you can password-protect PDF files to prevent unauthorized viewing and altering, while also enabling authorized reviewers to use intuitive commenting and editing tools.

Searchable — Adobe PDF files are searchable for words appearing in the text and in annotations, bookmarks, and data fields.

What's New in Version 8?

Combine multiple files into a PDF package
Combine multiple files into a searchable, sortable PDF package that maintains the individual security settings and digital signatures of each included PDF document.

Auto-recognize form fields
Automatically locate form fields in static PDF documents and convert them to interactive fields that can be filled electronically by anyone using Adobe Reader software. (Windows only)

Manage shared reviews
Easily conduct shared reviews—without IT assistance—that allow review participants to see one another's comments and track the status of the review.

Enable advanced features in Adobe Reader
Enable anyone using free Adobe Reader software to participate in document reviews, fill and save electronic forms offline, and digitally sign documents.

Permanently remove sensitive information
Permanently remove metadata, hidden layers, and other concealed information, and use redaction tools to permanently delete sensitive text, illustrations, or other content.

Archive Microsoft Outlook e-mail in PDF
Configure Acrobat 8 Professional to automatically archive e-mail in Microsoft Outlook for easy search and retrieval. (Windows only)

Archive Lotus Notes e-mail
Convert e-mail in Lotus Notes to Adobe PDF to facilitate searching, archiving, and retrieval. (Windows only)

Save in Microsoft Word
Take advantage of improved functionality for saving Adobe PDF files as Microsoft Word documents, retaining the layout, fonts, formatting, and tables.

Enjoy improved performance and support for AutoCAD More rapidly convert AutoCAD drawing files into compact, accurate PDF documents, without the need for the native desktop application.

Take advantage of a new, intuitive user interface
Complete tasks more quickly with a streamlined user interface, new customizable toolbars, and a "Getting Started" page to visually direct you to commonly used features.

Keen Features

Create and optimize Adobe PDF documents
Easily create Adobe PDF documents. Create Adobe PDF documents with one-button ease from Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Windows users can also create PDF documents with one-button ease from Outlook, Internet Explorer, Project, Visio, Access, Publisher, AutoCAD®, and Lotus Notes files.

Scan to PDF with OCR
Scan paper documents with OCR technology to create compact, searchable Adobe PDF documents.

Convert e-mail to Adobe PDF files
Convert e-mail in Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes to Adobe PDF documents to facilitate searching, archiving, and retrieval. (Windows only)

Capture web pages as Adobe PDF files
Convert web pages to Adobe PDF documents to easily print, archive, mark up, or share. (Windows only)

Create in PDF/A or PDF/X
Create documents in PDF/A, the ISO standard for long-term archiving of electronic documents, or PDF/X, the ideal format for high-quality, professional printing.

Combine files from multiple applications
Combine and optimize documents Combine documents, drawings, and rich media content into a single, polished Adobe PDF document. Optimize file size, and arrange files in any order regardless of file type, dimensions, or orientation.

Maintain individual file security settings
Maintain individual digital signatures and security settings in PDF files and forms when combining them into a single PDF package.

Include only the pages you need
Specify which pages, layouts, or sheets should be included from source files in your final, combined Adobe PDF document.

Optimize Adobe PDF output
Select from multiple file size and quality settings to optimize PDF output for your intended purpose.

Quickly regenerate a combined PDF file
Re-create a combined Adobe PDF document after revising source files, without having to locate and gather the native files again.

Unify with headers, footers, and watermarks
Automatically remove headers and footers from source files and add unifying headers, footers, or watermarks to your combined Adobe PDF document.

Attach native files
Share source files by attaching them to your Adobe PDF document in their original, native formats.

Enhance and extend document collaboration
Conduct e-mail–based reviews Initiate a document review in Adobe PDF via e-mail. Merge inbound comments and markups from all reviewers into one PDF document with a single click.

Manage shared reviews
Easily conduct shared reviews — without IT assistance — that allow review participants to see one another's comments and track the status of the review.

Enable collaboration tools in Adobe Reader
Enable users of free Adobe Reader software to participate in e-mail– or server-based reviews using all of the commenting and markup tools in Acrobat 8 Professional, including notes, stamps, highlighter, pencil, lines, shapes, and more.

Track reviews and manage comments
Track which reviewers have contributed feedback, send reminders, and add new participants. Easily compile all comments into a single Adobe PDF document.

View and print comments
View and print feedback for easy reconciliation. Sort comments by author, date, or page. Search comments for words or phrases.

Export comments to Word or AutoCAD
Select and export comments back to your original Word or AutoCAD file. Comments appear in Word as tracked changes and in AutoCAD as a separate layer.

Streamline data collection with Adobe PDF forms
Get started with form templates Take advantage of an existing library of common form templates, such as human resources forms, invoices, and expense reports. (Windows only)

Easily create forms
Create fillable forms for distribution by e-mail or on the web from scanned paper, PDF documents, Microsoft Word documents, or Excel spreadsheets.

Auto-recognize form fields
Automatically locate form fields in static PDF documents and convert them to interactive fields that can be filled electronically by anyone using free Adobe Reader software.

Optimize form workflow
Easily distribute forms; combine collected forms into a searchable, sortable PDF package; and export collected data into a spreadsheet.

Enable form features in Adobe Reader
Enable users of Adobe Reader software to type information directly into Adobe PDF forms and save them locally for offline use.

Apply advanced document security and controls
Apply passwords and assign permissions Restrict access to Adobe PDF documents using 128-bit encryption. Set document permissions to help restrict who can print, save, copy, or modify a document.

Sign documents digitally
Apply digital signatures to authenticate documents, manage their status, and help protect against unauthorized modification.

Enable digital signatures in Adobe Reader
Enable Adobe Reader users to digitally sign PDF documents.

Remove hidden data
Inspect Adobe PDF documents for metadata, hidden layers, and other concealed information, and remove as needed.

Permanently remove sensitive information
Use redaction tools to permanently remove sensitive text, illustrations, or other information from the Adobe PDF document.

Protect attached files
Protect files attached to your Adobe PDF documents with 128-bit encryption.

Professional Uses

Think it will always take more time than you have to manage a paper trail of handwritten comments and blurry faxes from key reviewers around the world, make sense of it all, and still get your work done?

Think again about Adobe Acrobat. No matter what your profession or occupation, you need to share documents with others. Marketing people need to gather office documents, photos, graphics, and presentations for review and approval. Legal professionals need to securely exchange contracts and briefs with others who don’t use the same software programs. Finance professionals need to distribute confidential reports. And HR professionals need to gather employee review information using forms, route documents, and obtain approvals.

Assemble and combine all your work into one convenient, polished document for sharing or review. Protect confidential information and prevent others from changing documents. Speed up your document review processes, regardless of the location and number of reviewers. Capture information from people online or offline using intelligent forms.

Price

$449.00 Retail Price - Acrobat 8 Professional Edition
$159.00 Upgrade Price

$299.00 Retail Price - Acrobat 8 Standard Edition
$  99.00 Upgrade Price

$995.00 Retail Price - Acrobat 3D Version 8

What's The Difference?

The following features are found in Acrobat 8 Professional, and NOT in Acrobat 8 Standard.

Permanently delete sensitive information, including specific text or illustrations, with redaction tools

Create PDF documents with one-button ease from AutoCAD, Microsoft Visio, and Microsoft Project (Windows only)

Preserve document layers in technical drawings in Visio and AutoCAD, and object data in Visio (Windows only)

Create fillable PDF forms from scanned paper, existing PDF documents, Microsoft Word documents, or Excel spreadsheets

Automatically recognize form fields on static PDF documents and convert them to interactive fields that can be filled electronically by anyone using free Adobe Reader software

Enable Adobe Reader users to participate in reviews with complete commenting and markup tools, including sticky notes, highlighter, lines, shapes, and stamps

Enable Adobe Reader users to fill and save PDF forms locally for offline use

Enable Adobe Reader users to digitally sign PDF documents

What's In Acrobat 3D Version 8?

The following features are found only in the brand new Acrobat 3D Version 8 that is due for release in early 2007:

Convert 3D designs from major CAD applications to PDF documents for use by extended teams without expensive CAD or viewer software

Insert 3D CAD designs into Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents and convert the files to PDF

Create rich, interactive documents with 3D content: Add materials, create exploded views, edit lighting, and save as 3D objects or 2D raster/vector images for use by extended teams

Include PMI data with 3D designs in PDF documents for use by extended teams

Export precise manufacturing data from PDF files into standard 3D formats such as STEP, IGES, and Parasolid for use in CAM and CAE applications

System Configuration Requirements

Windows
Pentium III processor or equivalent
Windows 2000 (SP 4), XP Pro, Home
Tablet PC (SP 2)
IE 6
256MB RAM (512MB recommended)
860MB free hard disk space
Cache for optional installation files (recommended) requires an additional 460MB hard disk space
1,024 x 768 screen resolution
CD-ROM drive
Internet or phone connection required for product activation

Macintosh
PowerPC G3, G4, G5, or Intel processors
Mac OS X v.10.4.3
256MB RAM (512MB recommended)
1,060MB free hard disk space
1,024 x 768 screen resolution
DVD-ROM drive

Contact

Adobe Systems, Incorporated
Corporate Headquarters
345 Park Avenue
San Jose, California 95110-2704
408-536-6000
800-833-6687
FAX 408-537-6000

Order Online at Adobe Corporation
www.adobe.com/store/main.jhtml

You can also order from other retailers or online vendors.