Activating an Account

Before you can purchase or read a Digital Edition you must first activate Adobe Reader. Activation is a one-time process that automatically prepares Adobe Reader to view and share Digital Editions on multiple computers or mobile devices. Through the activation processin Adobe parlance it's called activating an accountyou are taken to Adobe's Web site, where you create either an Adobe ID or a Microsoft .NET ID that is used whenever you download Digital Editions from Adobe's Web site or other content providers.

When you download your first protected Digital Edition, Adobe Reader initiates an Easy Activation process. Once Adobe Reader is activated, you can download additional Digital Editions without reactivating the Reader program on your computer.

To complete the Easy Activation for the first time:

1.	Be certain you have an Internet connection active. Select File > Digital Editions > Adobe Digital Media Store. TIP If you don't have the full version of Adobe Reader installed on your computer, you can complete the activation by visiting the Adobe Digital Media Store at http://adobedigitalmediastore.overdrive.com.
2.	The Adobe Digital Media Store Web page opens in your default Web browser. Click a link to a free Digital Edition download. Note that the Web page may change periodically. As of this writing, you can access free Digital Edition downloads by clicking the Try an eBook link (Figure 20.1). Figure 20.1. Click the Try an eBook link to select a free Digital Edition download.
3.	A second Web page opens, where you can select several free Digital Editions. Select an edition listed under the title: Free Preview Content From Leading Publishers (Figure 20.2). Note again that the Web page changes periodically. If you don't see the same Web page design, poke around the Adobe Digital Media Store to find a free download link. Figure 20.2. Click a link to start your activation.
4.	Follow the onscreen instructions to download the Digital Edition. The Easy Activation process begins. The last Web page in the Easy Activation process is a congratulatory page confirming your activation. If you quit the activation sequence at this point, you can begin reading the downloaded eBook in Adobe Reader.