Been a while since I’ve posted (sorry about that), but I had to rant about this annoying little process.

So I have this freshly installed Windows XP virtual machine and I needed to install a PDF reader. I used to use Foxit Reader, but I always have problems with the toolbars staying arranged in the right places, so that’s out.  So I headed to Adobe’s site to get their reader.  Immediately, I noticed that the installer package contains Acrobat.com running on top of Adobe AIR (which I don’t have installed, so it’s nice enough to do that for me, too).  Seriously?  I just want the damn PDF reader.  So I suck it up and click “OK”.

What happens next is what really blew my mind. I get prompted by Firefox to install the “Adobe Download Manager”. Download Manager?  Seriously? I’ve already got a download manager…it’s called Firefox.  So I dig a little deeper to see why they’re using this.  In their FAQ, they say they’re using to “allow you to pause and resume large downloads”.  Large downloads, huh?  Like a 40mb PDF reader? Bottom line here, is whatever happened to just clicking a link that says “download”?

I guess it was inevitable, given how their install processes for the Creative Suite programs have gotten out-of-hand.  But seriously, all those hoops to just get a PDF reader?  On my Mac at work, I can use Quick Look by hitting Space on a PDF icon and instantly  see the PDF.  Instantly, no splash screen for the reader, just the PDF, open right in front of me in a fraction of a second.  Just sayin’…

Oh well, Adobe’s slowly going the Microsoft route, and I guess there’s nothing that can be done about it.