Netbook Network

Adobe’s PDF reader is pretty heavy on system resources. Even Foxit Reader can be a little bloated. Since netbook owners don’t have very much processing power and memory available, reading PDF files aren’t a very friendly experience. However, the great news is, there are lightweight alternatives out there – and the one I’m going to cover today is called Sumatra PDF.

Sumatra PDF, unlike Adobe Reader, is a lightweight and open-source PDF viewer, with a focus on minimalistic design. It may not have all the editing skills that Adobe Reader has, but most users don’t need to edit PDF files in the first place. Sumatra PDF has a lot of features, including keyboard shortcuts and fast startup. One of its top priorities is simplicity and snappiness, something all netbook owners would enjoy. It does a great job viewing PDF files, including multiple viewing modes, and a quick page rendering time. You can even run it from a USB drive, as it is a completely portable application. The installer itself is only a mere 1.7 megabytes.

Sumatra PDF works on all versions of Windows and is completely free. If you wish to install Sumatra PDF, you can get a copy of the installer or the portable version off Sumatra PDF’s homepage.