Adobe Acrobat Reader is a great way to download large, complex documents such as our catalog, IF it is set up right.  However, for some inexplicable reason, it does not come set up right!  If your computer locks up when you try to download, you either don't have Acrobat Reader or it needs adjusting.  Don't worry, it's easy to fix.

Why use Acrobat?  What is a "PDF"?  When we prepare our auction catalog for the print shop, we end up with a file that would take four days to download!  With Adobe Acrobat, we can convert that to a version that looks great on the screen and downloads in less than 15 minutes!  The advantage of this "Portable Document File" becomes clear.

Do you have the Acrobat Reader?  If you don't find it in your program directory and don't see the logo  on your desktop, you probably don't.  If you click the "get reader" logo below, it should link you directly to the Adobe download page where you can get your free copy.  Just answer a few questions and choose the right version for your machine.  This is a big download, so it takes a while.  (Netscape offers a free "smart download" program that's great with long downloads if you have problems with dropping the phone connection.)  After you have it on your hard drive, click it or follow Adobe's directions to install.  After it is installed, you can make your adjustments.  If you have Version 4, there is no advantage in upgrading to Version 5.

We now need to disable "web integration."  Follow these steps if you are a PC user.  Mac users will find the procedure to be similar, but different.

If you have Acrobat 5, open the program, click EDIT, PREFERENCES and OPTIONS.  Unclick all four web browser options and gracefully make your way out of the program.  That's it!

If you have Acrobat 4, open the program, click FILE, PREFERENCES and GENERAL.  Unclick "Allow Background Downloading" and "Web Browser Integration."  Click OK and exit the program.  Things should work fine, now.
 

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