Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

I have seen a previous thread here on adding PDF reader to Open Office (it was from 2009.)

Coincidentally I sampled the install of the program recommended at that time for PDF-Xchange.

In some way this program is now associated with Foxit Reader. Foxit Reader gives an annoying
flipping banner with 'suggestions' on it that I decided I should move to something for PDF and simple and as unannoying as possible. During install there was something in PDF-Xchange I rejected doing/agreeing to which looked like adware.


What is a current suggestion for PDF open source reader without all the Foxit tie-ins?

I don't think it's open source, but Adobe Reader is (and to my knowledge always has been) free to download & use.
I admit that there have been changes to Adobe Reader that I don't care for, but it still works great as a PDF reader.

What I did, because my needs are very simple, is to just get an older version of PDF-X at the appropriately named oldversion.com which is the repository for old prog versions that may work better than the latest.

I do not recall why I got away from Adobe. It might have been the habit of softwares installing toolbars that are unwanted or some other nuisance.


Thanks for answering.

What makes you think PDF XChange is "now associated with Foxit Reader"?

Two totally different companies - they're not even based on the same continent!

Although I would agree that these days Foxit doesn't hold a candle to PDF XChange, which I've been using for a couple of years now.

Your concerns about adware are probably because you had downloaded it from Softonic, CNET, Softpedia or some other company which bundles crapware with legit freeware programs in an attempt to drive up revenue.

Always download direct: http://www.tracker-software.com/product/pdf-xchange-viewer

A good insight. I will see what an install from the link you have looks like since I don't recall my original source. I know that the install procedure just had some stuff I didn't want to do in the current edition then I looked for an older simpler version.

The newer Foxit is too busy for the simple needs I have-- kitchen sinkware.

In general we suggest that all software should be downloaded from the author's main site, to avoid this problem of unwanted add-ons. This is particularly true for OpenOffice, where we only recommend using
http://www.openoffice.org/download
which will redirect to SourceForge servers.

I'm sticking with the old version after seeing that PDF-Xchange has gone through yet a name change and added OCR or something.

There's a point of diminishing returns after a software completes its initial 'mission.'
Firefox is a good example.

I'm editorializing but ImgBurn as well seems to issue updates for the sole purpose of installing unwanted toolbars and such.

OCR can be most useful for getting data from a PDF into an editor. I've used it to convert several PDF books into ebooks this year. I don't know about PDF-Xchange's version but it might be worth a look.

Well, if you just want a bare bones PDF reader, maybe Sumatra might be more your style:

blog.kowalczyk.info/software/sumatrapdf/free-pdf-reader.html