Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions

Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions Server (ARES) is not a PDF creation tool. Rather, the product is used to add more functionality when working with PDFs in Adobe Reader. Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions is not the kind of product you as an end user of Adobe Reader would purchase. The cost is prohibitive for single users. However, for enterprises , government offices, educational institutions, and large businesses, the features the server software provides are very cost-effective .

The Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions allows large enterprises and other such entities to create and share dynamic PDF documents among co-workers , constituents, and clients. LiveCycle Reader Extensions enables organizations to extend PDFs on a document-by-document basis for Reader users to comment on and annotate files, fill-in and save forms, and add digital signatures to forms. Prices for the Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions Server start in the tens of thousands of dollars, so end users wouldn't purchase the software. But it does make sense for large companies with many workers or clients who need to add more functionality to the Reader program. The organization will find it worth the cost in cases where the server software costs less than a site license for the commercial Acrobat products or when it's not practical to ask clients and constituents to purchase one of the commercial products. As an Adobe Reader user, your interest will be in receiving documents enabled with usage rights by the LiveCycle server.

One of the first users of LiveCycle Reader Extensions Server was the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). As of October 25, 2004, all IRS tax forms were enabled with Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions so that any user of Adobe Reader can fill in a tax form and save the populated form on their computer.

If you work in an environment where PDFs need to be extended in your organization or with your clients, you may want to explore more information on Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions. Log on to Adobe's Web site at www.adobe.com/products/server/readerextensions to see how this product can save you money. To work with a file enabled with Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions, see Chapter 17, "Using Digital Signatures and Security."

Appendix B. Upgrading to Acrobat

With all the impressive features in Adobe Reader, there are still limitations when you want to create and edit PDF documents. If Adobe Reader doesn't give you the tools to satisfy your PDF workflow needs, you have to decide whether to purchase one of the full versions of the Acrobat products.

You can purchase Adobe Acrobat Standard or Adobe Acrobat Professional directly from Adobe Systems or from a software reseller. The Adobe Acrobat Standard product offers fewer features than Adobe Acrobat Professional. Before you purchase Acrobat, you'll want to know the differences between the two viewers to be certain that what you buy satisfies your editing needs.

Upgrading to the Right Version

To be certain you have the most recent information about the current product releases, you should visit Adobe's Web site. Adobe Reader provides a direct link to the Web page that provides Acrobat information. Select Help > Purchase Adobe Acrobat. Your default Web browser opens and takes you to the Adobe Acrobat Family Web page ( Figure B.1 ).

Figure B.1. Select Help > Purchase Adobe Acrobat to open the Adobe Acrobat Standard Web page in the Adobe.com store.

On Adobe's Web pages, you find information related to all Acrobat products, links to download the full version of the different Acrobat viewers , and links to acquire tryout versions. Look over the information related to the most recent version and to the differences between the products.

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