PDF Reader for Windows 7

Pros

• Can replace the default PDF view
• Supports slideshow mode
• Zooms and rotates pages
• Saves documents to other formats

Cons

• No support for PDF creation
• Doesn't include a help file

PDF Reader for Windows 7 is a lightweight portable document viewer format that can also convert files to other formats. In spite of the name, it works with modern versions of Windows as well as ones that came out before Windows 7. This, combined with its small memory footprint, makes it an attractive option for users who have to work with older hardware.

All of the functions that would normally live inside of a menu bar are replicated from a convenient toolbar, though users can turn traditional commands back on if they wish. You're also free to disable both toolbars and menu bars for an extremely clean layout. The app includes an options sheet that allows you to hide other controls, such as the status bar, or enable a slideshow feature that makes PDF Reader useful for those who have to give presentations.

Online help controls included in the menu bar just take users to a web site and the app doesn't include any feature to create new content and save it as a PDF file. In spite of these limitations, many users will consider PDF Reader a marked improvement over other methods of displaying a PDF file.

The fact that it has such a small memory footprint makes loading and rendering documents a breeze. Once they're clearly displayed in a window, users have the option of zooming in or out as well as rotating the document. A full screen display feature makes PDF Reader suitable even for use as an eBook reader. Though there's no way to set bookmarks, you can enter the number of the page you'd like to get back to at any time.

Printing a document is as easy as selecting a menu option or using the ^P keyboard shortcut. In theory, users could even send a document to a virtual printer this way, but it might not be necessary to do so since PDF Reader supports a wide array of conversion features that make sharing documents a breeze. Converting a document shouldn't take particularly long, either, with most operations lasting only a few seconds.

Once a file gets loaded, users can export individual pages as JPG, PNG, GIF or bitmap images. Entire documents can get transferred as EMF or EPS files, which might be useful for some desktop publishing applications. Perhaps the most unusual feature is the ability to export documents in the Windows Metafile format, which isn't widely deployed by most end-users. It's extremely important for software and web developers, however, which may help to broaden PDF Reader's overall appeal.

Users who just want a simple app that quickly displays PDF documents without much fuss will appreciate the app the most, since it works far faster than many other solutions.

Pros

• Can replace the default PDF view
• Supports slideshow mode
• Zooms and rotates pages
• Saves documents to other formats

Cons

• No support for PDF creation
• Doesn't include a help file