PDF Software Key to Downloading Internet Documents

By Kathy L. Pursley

AdobeRegistered AcrobatRegistered Readertrademark is free software that enables users to view and print Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. PDF software has become a standard for distributing electronic documents in a way that preserves all the integrity of the original document. Similar to taking a snapshot of the document, the software preserves all of the fonts, formatting, colors, and graphics of any source document, regardless of the application and platform used to create it.

Adobe designed PDF software to circumvent some of the problems in electronic file sharing, such as the inability to open files because of incompatible software. Because PDF files can be published and distributed anywhere - in print, attached to e-mail, on corporate servers, posted on web sites, or on CD-ROM - companies often distribute electronic catalogs and forms as PDF documents. The compact PDF files download one page at a time to improve display time on the web. The transfer may seem like a slow process, but compared to ordinary web documents, PDF documents contain a huge amount of information.

With a free Adobe Acrobat Reader anyone can share, view, navigate, and print documents exactly as intended by the originator. A drawback is that the files cannot be modified, cut and pasted or inserted into other documents without purchasing the full software package. The purchased software converts any document to PDF and preserves its original appearance. It also offers markup tools for interactive Acrobat document review and for building forms. With the Acrobat Reader, users also can fill in and submit PDF forms online. The new version can download encrypted content from the Web and unlock it with a new feature called Web Buy, eliminating the wait for delivery of printed books.

The Acrobat Reader software comes in English, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and other languages. Operating platforms available include Windowstrademark 95 through 98 and NT, several versions of Mac, Linux, IBM AIX, Unix, SunOS, Solaris, SGI IRIX, HP-UX, Digital Unix, and OS/2 Warp.

The free software may be downloaded at www.adobe.com by clicking on the "Get AcrobatRegistered Reader" icon. The site gently guides visitors through downloading the Reader in a simple process. After selecting the preferred language and the operating system, providing a name and e-mail address, the file downloads after clicking on the "DOWNLOAD" button. Once the file transfers, it installs after the user opens the new file and follows the simple installation instructions also found at the web site.

Nat'l Small Flows Clearinghouse, Publications & Electronic Poster

The National Small Flows Clearinghouse web site uses Adobe PDF files. The home page, located at http://estd.wvu.edu/nsfc, will lead you to a catalog of publications available. Download the publications catalog by going to the page http://estd.wvu .edu/nsfc/NSFC_Publications.html and clicking on the "Download the Publications Index" link. The PDF catalog takes a little time to load, and the browser looks blank until the catalog cover appears.

Navigate through the document by using the mouse, which now appears like a small hand, by depressing the mouse button to "grab" the document page and push it upward or downward. The scroll bar also works, but operating the little hand may be novel for a while. Arrows at the bottom of the page point to the left and right. Clicking the arrow moves forward or backward one page. Clicking the arrow that points to a small line, moves forward to the last page or backward to the first page of the document.

At the page http://estd.wvu.edu /nsfc/NSFC_optresourc.html, visitors find an interactive poster entitled "Small Community Options and Resources." The page http://estd.wvu.edu/nsfc/ NSFC_ Services.html#products provides links to the National Environmental Training Center for Small Communities and the National Drinking Water Clearinghouse.

BJM Corporation, Pumps and Motors

Visiting http://www.bjmcorp.com/ opens the way to the BJM Corporation's pumps and electrical motor testing products. The site offers a link to its "Online Literature PDF" where a visitor can provide contact information and gain access to the current documents offered by the company. Currently two PDF documents available include product information on "Predictive Maintenance Testing with Alltest IV Protrademark" and "The ATF-11 Armature Test Fixture." BJM is working on the PDF version of its entire catalog. In the meantime, http://www.bjmcorp.com/ pumpproducts.htm shows the types of pumps offered by the company. There is a link to an order and inquiry form.

Hayward Industrial Products, Water Hammer Calculator & Plant Tour

The web site http://www.hayward industrial.com/ showcases Hayward Industrial Products' valves, actuators, strainers, filters, separators and flow meters. The link to the Library page found at http://www. haywardindustrial .com/library/ start.htm offers 38 separate PDF documents about metal pipeline strainers, and plastic valves and flow control technical, engineering and application information. One nice feature on the Hayward site is the Water Hammer calculator. Clicking on the calculator icon in the upper right hand corner of all the web pages at this site will open a separate smaller browser window. Select the pipe size in the pull down menu at the top. Type in the water pressure in psi and click one of the circles for the correct flow rate in gallons per minute. The calculator gives the result in the box on the right hand side of the red bar that reads "Computed Water Hammer Potential in PSI."

Hayward Industrial Products' site is full of surprises including a tour of the plant's injection molding process. Click on the icon at the lower right hand corner of the homepage to view the slide show.