Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional

Acrobat 8 Pro’s excellent execution of the five Cs : create, combine, collaborate, collect, and controlably demonstrates why it’s the Mecca of PDF tools. Of the Cs, collaboration may be A8P’s defining characteristic, as tools such as Acrobat Connect prove. In all phases, however, A8P exudes the range, power, and stability you’d expect from a venerable, $500 program.

Detailing each A8P function here is impossible, but new and old users should appreciate A8P’s larger workspace; quicker AutoCAD file conversions; improved search abilities; and Getting Started, a launch pad that opens at startup for common PDF chores—Create PDF, Combine Files, Review & Comment, etc. Adobe also added the capability to permanently eradicate sensitive data and easily browse for and merge several files into one PDF package. Better, sorting and searching these packages is easy. So is converting a package’s files to Smaller, Default, and Larger sizes and keeping intact security settings and digital signatures for individual files.

Collaboration-wise, managing shared reviews is enhanced (Reader users can submit reviews, use digital signatures, and more), and a Start Meeting button helps establish Acrobat Connect meetings. Connect is an always-on, Flash Player-based, Web-conferencing app (up to 15 users). Sending invites only requires emailing a unique URL. In Connect you’ll find chat and note-taking areas, plus great whiteboard and markup tools. Mac support is included, and you can set participation permissions. Overall, Connect is fantastic for, say, making real-time edits with a client to a project. A free Connect trial is included, and pricing is based on flat monthly or annual fees. Creating meetings took minutes in my tests, and AV quality was good throughout using a Logitech QuickCam.

Adobe recently released security fixes for Reader and Acrobat Standard/Pro and Elements versions 7.0.8 and earlier. Acrobat 8 reportedly isn’t susceptible to the flaw (Secunia rated it moderately critical), but AP8 does include collaboration with Reader. Unfixed, the flaw lets hackers use a cross-site scripting technique to hijack systems. Beyond the fix Adobe advises upgrading to Reader 8.

Even with its UI enhancements, A8P is a monster of a program. Credit Adobe, though, for making Pro a friendlier, more capable monster than ever.