The value of PDF Documents

I’m sure most Good Booters are aware of the value of PDF (Portable Document Format) files. But I’ll wager there are many who may not know that one of the best and most convenient ways to create a copy of a Web page(s) is to save the Web page(s) in a Portable Document Format.

Unfortunately the Save As options offered by Web browsers do not include PDF.

For example, Microsoft Internet Explorer Save As options are .MHT, .HTM, .HTML and .TXT. And Google’s Chrome Save As options are .HTM and .HTM. Save As options that may not provide a quality copy of a Web page. Particularly Web pages that includes a variety of color images.

There are software programs available that will create Web page PDF’s. But to my knowledge no free quality programs.

Fortunately however, PDFmyURL.com (www.pdfmyurl.com) will convert and save Web pages as PDF’s and do so free of charge. All that’s required is for you to copy and paste a Web site’s URL into a designated location in PDFmyURL.com and click on an icon. A PDF of the Web site will be created and downloaded to your Download folder or any other folder of your choosing.

I have throughly tested the free version and can attest to the quality of the PDF file PDFmyURL.com creates.

However should you for whatever reason want additional PDF formatting options, PDFmyURL does offer a one-year personal license for $9.95.

A personal license includes options to:
1. Set and save personal PDF’ing preferences.
2. Set the PDF orientation (Landscape/portrait)
3. Set the default PDF paper size
4. Remove PDFmyURL logo from PDF's
5. Access history of PDF's made
6. Set preferences for bookmarklets

Be aware however, that to view a PDF file you must have a software program installed that reads PDF files.

Adobe’s free version 9 PDF file reader for Vista and Windows 7 (32-bit editions only) is by far the most popular. Although you cannot create a PDF file with Adobe Reader, you can view, print and manage PDF files.

Once Adobe Reader is downloaded and installed it will run inconspicuously in the background until you click on a PDF file.

Note: Recently Nitro PDF Software (www.nitroreader.com) released a 32 and 64-bit Beta version of their PDF Reader for Vista and Windows 7, a free PDF viewer that also lets you “create PDFs” from a variety of file formats as well as markup existing PDFs with notes, highlights and stamps.

Here’s wishing you a Good Boot.