PDF Converter and Possibly Creater; Need Suggestions

[Route44]

Right now I have Foxit Reader (downloaded and installed the free version well before they started adding other "goodies").

My main need is a converter from PDF to Word, Excel, etc. so that I can edit, etc. at this time though having the ability to create is also a possible future plus.

Is Foxit's Pro Pack worth getting as long as I can block tool bars or is there something better? Nuance has their Conveter 6 for $50 but if I want/need the Create 6 it is another $50 which in this case means I might as well spend $99 and get the professional.

The problem with Nuance is you are severely limited to free tech support which quickly costs serious $. Their customer support is very poor and has been for some time.

Thanks ahead of time.

 

[dividebyzero]

You've checked out the freeware options such as this?

 

[Route44]

Hey, thanks. This is an area that I have absolutely little experience/knowledge so I wasn't sure if I should even consider any free versions because one never knows what one will get.

I'll check it out. Have you used it by chance?

 

[dividebyzero]

I have used probably more than one. I don't tend to do much word processing so if I need to convert a file I usually download a free (or even trial) version just for that job. I figure by the time I need it again there will be a new version out so I usually transfer the exe to CD/DVD program/backup junkpile which seems to accumulate in the desk drawers and take it off the machine- they usually work as advertised.
Some of the free utlilties are great (I have one for converting AutoCAD/AllyCAD to pdf/doc- very handy for chassis modding) and haven't had any reason to buy a retail product yet, although I've never really needed anything past a basic conversion so I'm sure the free stuff is lacking some features.

 

[Archean]

Thanks DBZ, I was looking for something useful like this as well, until I accidentally bumped into this thread

 

[strategic]

Try OpenOffice
It will open your PDF files and you can save them afterwards.
You may even be able to do that with the portable version. (plug-in required).

 

[Archean]

Open office is a nice free alternative, but its not as good yet (e.g. ease of use, which may be subjective issue and vary from user to user). So I wouldn't want to have two offices running on my system just for that one function.

Having said that, if you do not need or want to make investment in buying an productivity suite, you need to look no further than open office.

Also, whatever happened to IBM's open office answer i think it was called 'symphony' or something like that?