10th January 2002

Manuals are just that: manual. In an age where information is just a click away, paper documentation is discouraged. Most of us have already installed the Adobe Acrobat Reader (available for free from ADOBE.COM), but are we using it to its fullest potential? More and more companies have started to put their hardware and software guides online - in a Portable Document Format (PDF). The other day, I was trying to figure out what the non-blinking green light on the back of my digital camera signified. I didn't know whether the device had finished charging or needed to be plugged in for a couple more hours. Instead of digging for the peripheral's guide, I went over to the manufacturer's Web site and downloaded the entire manual in PDF format. I opened the file and did a text search for the word "green." Sure enough, within seconds, I had my answer. You'd be wise to download PDFs for your installed system components. BONUS: Adobe also makes software for the Palm and Pocket PC platforms. Think about that for a second. Never be without those instructions!