software for annotating .pdf files

[cb977]

I found this great...free...software for viewing .pdf files.
I have no problem with Adobe but it's drawback is the inability to make changes like adding notes.

This program allows you to do lots of stuff within the document and it can also replace the need for Adobe or can be used as the occasional necessary substitute:

PDF Viewer - Software To Open A PDF File - PDF Editing Software

[camille1585]

That's cool Sue, and exactly what I needed! I have to read PDFs of scientific publications nearly everyday for my thesis work, and if I want to make notes or underline important stuff I need to print it. After a while I kind of get lost in a mountain of paper. This will make life much easier.

[kavanaru]

Originally Posted by camille1585

That's cool Sue, and exactly what I needed! I have to read PDFs of scientific publications nearly everyday for my thesis work, and if I want to make notes or underline important stuff I need to print it. After a while I kind of get lost in a mountain of paper. This will make life much easier.

Camille,

even though the software posted by Sue is a good idea and freeware, I think you could also ask at the IT CEnter of your university for a version of Adobe Acrobat Writter. This is a more extended version of Adobe Reader, and provides you many more options like editing, copy text from PDF files (VERY usefull when making citations from papers fro your thesis!!), etc..

I am not sure if this is the case at your university, but I know that as well as in Germany, some Dutch Universities gives free license to many softwares to their students (tip: get a new computer just before you finished, and update ALL teh softwares you acn at the IT Center for free!!! that's whyt I did just before finishing my PhD)

[camille1585]

I had already checked for Acrobat writer. For students, the software comes from a special student website for all Dutch universities. Through them you can get software really cheap (I got Endnote for 18€, and SPSS for not much more), but the hitch is that the user license is linked to your university email account. Once you graduate and are no longer registered at the university, (so have no more email account), you lose all the licenses. The only exception is MS Office, which is a personal license.
The IT center of the Plant Science Group (where I'm doing my thesis) probably does have it, but they only give software to employees... I already checked when I wanted Endnote.

[harrywitmore]

Just remember, Adobe has a very annoying habit of changing the underlying structure of their file type which has a tendency of making older versions obsolete if the file is written in a new version. So, it's very possible you will run across some files which you cannot read. I ran across this all the time in my work as we created and converted man files to PDF on the fly. But, it would also be the case if you bought their own software so at least it's free.