Question: Jaclyn asks, "Are there different programs for editing Adobe PDF files from the ones that read them?"
Answer: Yes, there are. First of all, a PDF is an Adobe Acrobat file. PDF stands for Portable Document Format, and is most properly created and edited with Adobe’s Acrobat software. If all you want to do is to view, print PDFs and fill in forms created in PDF format, then you can use the Adobe Reader or the, I think much better, Foxit Reader. We've talked about the Foxit Reader before, and so I'll have a link to those show notes in today's show notes. If you need to create PDFs, you can do that online at Adobe's website, or you can get another program like PrimoPDF. I'll also have a link to the show where we talked about that in the notes. Foxit Software also has its own editor program that lets you create PDF files. It's a really popular format.
Cool Site: http://www.FileInfo.com: Suppose you get an email with an attachment and you aren't sure what program to use to open it. FileInfo.com can help. Most files have something called an extension that, in general, tells what type of file this is. A file extension is that part of the name of a file that follows a period. It's usually three characters, but can be more or less. Your Windows may not show them, but they can be turned on. We'll have that procedure in the show notes. So you've got this file that your computer can't open. Look up the file's extension at FileInfo.com and it will tell you what programs are used to open this file. In some cases that will include programs for Mac and Linux as well as Windows. It probably won't have links to those programs, but once you know, you can Google the name and find them. There's a search feature, or you can find them listed alphabetically, or by category.
Cool Gadget: Ctrl+Alt+Del Throw Pillows: OK, these aren't exactly gadgets, but to satisfy your inner geek, check this out: Ctrl + Alt + Delete throw pillows. Yeah, I'm a PC. They'll set you back about 70 bucks, so I figure you really have to want them if you get them, but still, they're cool. The cases are made of Eco-Felt which is 100% recycled bottles. The expense of producing Eco-Felt may account for some of the cost, 'cause as Kermit the Frog famously said, "It ain’t easy being green". The letters are hand-cut, and so may vary a bit from the pictures. You can also save a bit of your green by getting the pillow cases without any stuffing.
It's All "Geek" To Me: Browser: You use it every day (I know I do), but you may not have heard its name. Maybe all you know is that you click this blue E or something like that, and the Internet just comes up. A Browser is a program that lets you visit web pages. It downloads the page; it interprets the HTML web page code, and finally, it presents you with the web page. When you click links, it takes you wherever the link points. Some popular browsers (also known as web browsers) are Internet Explorer, Netscape Communicator, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Mozilla Firefox.
1. Click Start 2. Click My Computer (or, if My Computer is on your Desktop, double-click it) 3. Click the Tools menu 4. Click Folder Options… to open the Folder Options dialog box 5. Click the View tab 6. Un-check the box labeled Hide extensions for known file types 7. Click OK
Now, when you open My Documents or any other folder on your computer, you’ll see the extensions of all the files.
Note: After performing this procedure, you will be able to inadvertently change the extensions of your files when you rename them. Windows will warn that you might be changing an extension before allowing it, to give you an opportunity to cancel renaming the file.
How to Show File Extensions in Windows Vista
1. Click Start 2. Click Computer 3. Click Organize 4. Click Folder and Search Options 5. Click the View tab 6. Un-check the box labeled Hide extensions for known file types 7. Click OK
