Q: What are .pdf files?

A:
If you've been using the internet for any amount of time, you've probably run across these little buggers. They're Adobe Acrobat files. Normally, you download them and use Adobe Acrobat Reader to read them. You can get Adobe Acrobat Reader for free at Adobe's web site...

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

People use PDF files for everything. The most common use seems to be documents (both interactive and regular), but I've also seen PDF files used for maps, catalogs, presentations, and even e-books. Additionally, I've seen it used for non-web applications as well, including stuff like software help files.

Some Adobe products such as Pagemaker and Illustrator let you save a file as a PDF file. The only other ways are to fork out the big bucks for the Acrobat program, or create PDF files online (5 times for free or subscribe to use). To turn your documents into pdf files online, follow this link...

https://createpdf.adobe.com

Another option is a neat little program called Primo PDF Creator . It is a printer driver that allows you to create a PDF file from any program by selecting Print and sending it to the PDF Creator instead of printing a hard copy. Best of all, it's freeware...
http://www.primopdf.com

~ David