Foxit PDF Reader is the only eligible alternative reader/viewer for PDF files (eBooks). It's free, smaller, faster, and cleaner. And it starts up immediately, so you don't need to wait the annoying "Welcome" screen to disappear. Foxit PDF Reader is extremely easy to use, just double click it to start and then click open button to open your PDF document. If you want to print, click on "Print" button. If you want to setup the page layout for printing, select "Print Setup" from "File" menu. Foxit Reader 2.0 supports Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XP/2003.
Unlike Adobe® Reader, this one has size about than 4M, needs no installation and opens up immediately. You don't need to go throught lengthy installation process to start using Foxit PDF Reader, just UNZIP the downloaded "pdfrd.zip" package into any place you want, then run PDFReader.exe. You can set Foxit PDF Reader as your default PDF reader, so you can double click on PDF files to open them within Foxit PDF Reader.
Version 2.0 introduces many exciting new features, including interactive form filler, multi-language UI support, on-demand download of add-on, self upgrade, Javascript support, improved printing speed, streamlined UI and much more.
In the past, you have to download a huge Adobe Acrobat Reader, go through a lengthy installation process and wait for an annoying splash window to disappear just to open a PDF document. Moreover, if you want to annotate a PDF document, you have to pay USD299 to buy Adobe Acrobat Standard.
Now with Foxit Reader 2.0, you don't have to endure such pain any more. The following is a list of compelling advantages of Foxit Reader 2.0:
- Incredibly small: The download size of Foxit Reader is only 1.7 M which is a fraction of Acrobat Reader 20 M size
- Breezing-fast: When you run Foxit Reader, it launches instantly without any delay. You are not forced to view an annoying splash window displaying company logo, author names, etc.
- Annotation tool: Have you ever wished to annotate (or comment on) a PDF document when you are reading it? Foxit Reader 2.0 allows you to draw graphics, highline text, type text and make notes on a PDF document and then print out or save the annotated document.
- Text converter: You may convert the whole PDF document into a simple text file.
New Features
Foxit Reader 2.0 introduces many exciting new features listed below:
- Interactive form filler: Now you don't have to print out PDF forms first and then manually fill out paper forms. Instead, you can use PC to fill out interactive forms directly, and then print them out, save them, email them or export the form data into FDF file for further processing.
- Multi-language UI that can be dynamically switched: The user interface of Foxit Reader now can be switched to different languages dynamically, thanks to the generous help from our user community.
- On-demand download of add-on: With add-ons, the function of Foxit Reader can be extended unlimitedly. New function modules and seldom used modules are packed as add-on. Users only download them when needed. Foxit Reader highly respects the security and privacy of users and will never connect to Internet without users' permission. While Acrobat Reader often silently connect to the Internet in the background.
- Self-upgrade: In the past, when you want to upgrade Foxit Reader, you have to frequently visit Foxit website, check for new release, and then manually download the new version, uninstall the old version and re-install the new version. Now this whole process is simplified and you only need to click on the menu item "Check for update now".
- Javascript support: Advanced users are able to use Javascript to create complex logic for PDF forms, to validate user input and process data.
- Improved printing speed: Printing a PDF file with many images in it to a Postscript printer used to be slow. Version 2.0 has been optimized for such printing.
- Streamlined UI: Version 2.0 comes with a neat UI. Annotation tool buttons are grouped together, instead of being showed on several toolbars.
Free Reader
Foxit Reader 2.0 itself is free. For add-ons, the critical add-ons are free while advanced add-ons are non-free. For example, you can use the following functions for free:
- View or print PDF document
- Fill out PDF forms and save them
- Convert PDF document into text file
- Critical add-ons, such as UI language package, JPEG2000/JBIG decoder, CJK package, GDI+ for early Windows version, etc
The followings are several examples of non-free, advance add-ons:
- You can try out annotation tool for free. However when you save the annotated document, it will be stamped with an evaluation mark on the top-right corner of the annotated pages. If you purchase a Pro Pack add-on, then there will be no evaluation mark.
- Foxit Converter which allows you to convert non-PDF file into PDF file is non-free.
- Foxit Editor which allows you to modify contents of a PDF file is non-free.
Homepage -
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php
