Having trouble with downloading files?  The files available here are either ZIP files (compressed to take up less space, travel over the telephone lines faster and possibly contain more than one related file) or are PDF files (Adobe's "Portable Document File" format that freezes text and images so that anyone can view and/or print them, no matter what software they use).

ZIP files

    To work with the contents of a ZIP file, you must unZIP the file.  Much like a suitcase is used to transport clothing, a ZIP file transports files.  You must open the ZIP file to work with its contents, just as you open your suitcase to gain access to the clothing inside.  The easiest way to work with ZIP files is to get a copy of WinZip.  WinZip associates itself with files that have the .ZIP extension.  Once installed, it helps Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer), by popping up every time you double-click on a ZIP file.  There are many other programs that will ZIP and unZIP files, including PKZip, 7-Zip,  Info-Zip and Ultimate-Zip.

PDF files

    Because people use different software, it can be difficult to share files.  For example, if you are using one manufacturer's word processor and your friend uses a word processor developed by another manufacturer, you may have difficulties exchanging files.  Even if you can open and edit a file created with another program, it may not look exactly the same as it does in the original program.

    Imagine being able to "freeze" a page full of not only text, but images as well, making them viewable (much like a photograph) to anyone who has a free viewer.  Now expand the concept so that this free viewer comes in varieties for Windows, DOS, MacOS, Unix and a host of other operating systems!

    That's exactly what Adobe has done with its Acrobat program.  Using a special version of Acrobat called Exchange, web page developers can take a snapshot of files created in just about any application (word processors, spreadsheets, desktop publishers, databases, etc.) that can be viewed and printed on other computers, even if those remote users don't have the programs originally used to create the files.

    The Adobe Acrobat Reader works with your Internet "browser" (typically Netscape Navigator or Communicator, or Microsoft Internet Explorer).  The technical term for this is a "plug-in."  Whenever you encounter a .PDF ("Portable Document File" format) file, Acrobat pops us automatically and displays the page(s).