In the past, the average computer user was not able to create PDF files. In order to do so, special software such as Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Framemaker or Nuance's PDF Create was necessary to convert documents into the desired file format.
These programs were not free.
Some, such as Adobe Framemaker can cost upwards of several hundred dollars. In addition to the cost, each program had a bit of a learning curve in order to format the documents to achieve the desired results.
With the many improvements being made in open source software, computer users no longer have to spend money on expensive software programs in order to create or modify PDF files. They can create PDF documents for free using Open Office software, distributed at OpenOffice.org.
A Little Background on Open Source Software
Open source software is a computer user's ace in the hole. Open source software means the computer code is not hidden and is readily available to programmers to make improvements and tweaks to the existing program.
Non programmers and programmers alike benefit from such programs because the software is free and the functionality rivals that of high-priced software programs.
Programs Included in the Open Office Software Package
As of this writing, Open Office has been in existence for over 20 years. Programmers have been improving the software's functionality and stability. The Open Office software package consists of a bundle of computer programs used by the general public daily. The package consists of:
- Writer - A word processing program
- Calc - A spreadsheet program
- Impress - A program for creating presentations
- Draw - A graphics program
- Base - A database program
Anyone who has used the Microsoft suite of office products has the ability and capability of quickly transitioning into using the Open Office software. The user interface and functionality are similar. However, there are a few additional perks found in Open Office that is not currently available through Microsoft Office.
Creating PDF Documents for Free with Open Office
One of the main differences between the software packages aside from the cost is the ability to export files to a PDF format. The free software allows users to export any document to a PDF file while retaining all hypertext links embedded in the document.
Not only do the newly created PDF documents retain the links but the links are clickable so that readers can click the hypertext and visit the embedded URL.
In addition to creating PDF files, the Open Office software package allows users to modify existing PDF files. The built-in OCR (optical character recognition) functionality allows computer users to open a PDF document in Open Office, highlight sections of the document, modify and/or delete it and save the file.
Whether someone decides to use Open Office to its full capability or not is a matter of personal preference. However, the free PDF creation and modification feature makes downloading the free software program a must for anyone looking for an alternative to high-priced PDF creation software.
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