A few weeks ago, I wrote about the security vulnerabilities in all versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader. That article is still available at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/04/update-time-to-get-rid-of-adobe-reader.html. Acrobat Reader is widely used on Windows, Macintosh, and Linux systems to read and print files that are independent of the operating system. Millions of PDF files are found on the Internet, including many genealogy-related documents.
Now Adobe has released a new version that supposedly fixes the security problems. I downloaded the new version on one of my Macintosh systems today and found the installation was simple.
If you use Adobe Reader, I would strongly suggest that you upgrade to the latest version immediately. It is available at http://www.adobe.com.
Adobe Acrobat Reader is available free of charge.
I'm glad to hear it. I have tried Foxit reader and like it, but when Foxit is involved in creating a .pdf file from WordPerfect, the file is twice as large as when Acrobat is involved. I wonder why.
I haven't dicovered yet how WordPerfect decides on which reader to use.
Posted by: Jim McMillen | June 11, 2009 at 02:22 AM
I would suggest not upgrading to the latest version but rather use something that isnt bloated such as foxit.
Posted by: bobby | June 11, 2009 at 06:17 AM
Thanks for the tip. I installed the new version immediately. (I was the lady who asked about your Adobe article at the NGS Conference.)
Posted by: Lib Gordon | June 11, 2009 at 08:45 AM
I still use Adobe Acrobat Reader 7 because I have seen the inability to get the snapshot tool to put the result on the clipboard for printing on version 8. I use it mainly for printing census records via Heritage Quest. I would hope that version 9 will now allow this to be done easily. If anyone has figured out the use of the snapshot tool for printing on version 8 or version 9, I would appreciate the information.
Posted by: Dennis | June 11, 2009 at 09:41 AM
I downloaded & installed from your link, but it said it was "Repairing 9.1 errors"...went ahead with it anyway and I only got v. 9.1.1 -- not 9.1.2. I'm running Vista.
BTW, I disabled the Java like you advised awhile back. Do I need to do anything else with that?
Posted by: Marilyn | June 11, 2009 at 11:03 AM
If 9.1.2 is available, I could not find it. Got only 9.1.1 with the error message, that it could not be loaded. I am running XP service pack 3??
Posted by: Melissadr | June 13, 2009 at 08:48 AM
Running XP SP2. Yes, the snapshot and text copy tools work again in 9. V.8 was MOST annoying. Never thought Adobe would make such an oversight. Never read so much Reader Help, thinking this can't be!
Just checked for updates out of Reader 9, it's 26mg of language support. I now have v. 9.1.2
Posted by: Sandra | June 15, 2009 at 07:18 AM
When I use the URL provided by you to upgrade to Adobe 9.1.2, it only shows an upgrade to 9.1. Where do I upgrade to Adobe 9.1.2?
Posted by: Jane Simmons | June 17, 2009 at 04:28 PM
My experience with any versions of Adobe 9 have been disastrous; it was formulated for the business world, not genealogical research. Adobe 9 does not allow the use of a "snapshot" to cut particular parts from articles, ergo census records from www.heritagequestonline.com. (The above-mentioned feature exists in Adobe versions 5, 6, 7 & 8.) I have always liked the ability to cut, thereby enlarging, the census images I need for research; the minuscule copies of entire census pages are ridiculous and a total waste of toner.
Posted by: Laura White | June 25, 2009 at 01:06 PM
Jane, Once you install Adobe Reader 9.1 (from http://get.adobe.com/reader), it will automatically download and install the 9.1.2 update.
Posted by: Varun Khaneja | July 04, 2009 at 01:56 PM