If you create a PDF that contains a form and put it on your site, I can use it in several ways.

If I have the free Reader and not the full Acrobat/Exchange program:

1) I can open your form in a browser, fill it in and submit the results. This requires that
you've done the necessary homework on the back end - it requires a CGI script to receive the submitted data and do something with it (much the way an HTML form does). While you can set the links up to submit via email, it's not particularly reliable. If I use web-based mail, for example, it won't work at all.

2) I can open your form in a browser or download it and open it in Reader myself, fill it
out, then print it and mail or fax you the paperwork.

If I have Acrobat (the full package, not the free Reader)

1) I can do any of the things I could do with Reader and

2) I can fill out your PDF form and save it as a new file, which I can then email to you.

Last updated 4/17/2002 11:34:32 PM

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