After downloading Acrobat Reader, simply install it on your hard drive (instructions below) and you should be up and running in no time. It can operate independently of your Web browser or it can be installed as a plug-in so you never have to leave your browser.

Portable Document Files (.pdf) are used on Web pages as read-only files that will be displayed in the original format in which they were created. Documents created with applications like WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, Excel, or Lotus 123, etc, can all be displayed in the Web browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer) but must have a free add on program called Adobe Acrobat Reader to display the file. The benefit of using Acrobat Reader files is that memos, reports, tables, forms and spreadsheets can be displayed and printed as they were originally created and can be easily distributed via the Web.

1. Connect to the Adobe Web Site following the link above.

2. Select Acrobat Reader to download, and the operating system of your computer (Windows XP, 2000, ME, NT, Windows 95/98, or Macintosh)

3. Fill out the registration information as requested. This is standard practice for downloading files.

4. Write down the filename of the file being downloaded and select the directory on your computer to save the file. (You may want to create a new directory in advance named "downloads", or something similar).

5. After the file is finished saving to your computer, quit or exit your browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer).

6. Use Windows Explorer to locate the file, or navigate to the folder containing the file by double clicking My Computer, C:\ drive, and to the folder containing the Acrobat Reader file.

7. Double click on the file name and follow the installation steps.

8. When the installation process is finished, restart your browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer).

9. You should now be able to open .pdf files by clicking on a link from a Web page.