Foxit Reader / PDF-XChange Viewer

Foxit Reader
PDF-XChange Viewer

We have mentioned PDFs in the last two posts.  While a small utility to create PDF documents is great, how do you interact with the PDF files you have created, or other PDFs that you download from third parties.

I mention to tools here, Foxit and PDF-XChange.  I have personally just started to use these tools as an alternative to Adobe PDF Reader.  I mention these two tools specifically because they both have portable installers.

Both applications have more options and features beyond simply reading or viewing PDFs both can do text searching, PDF-XChange allows for limited editing, FoxIt allows for the adding a digital signature (rubber stamp).

Both applications have had their share of vulnerabilities, often attributed to weaknesses in the PDF format itself.  While security through obscurity is not a recommend action, it does sometimes have a place, and each of these two tools has the advantage of not being as big a target as Adobe to the malware creators.

Give one or both of these two a spin and see if you don't like them better than your current PDF reader.

PDF-XChange Viewer
Foxit Reader