Member benefit: Free guest pass to AIIM Expo, May 15-18
Log in and register for a complimentary guest pass to AIIM Expo in Philadelphia, part of a key industry event that encompasses technologies used to capture, manage, share, and store documents and digital content. The free pass provides admission to keynotes and plenary sessions, all general sessions and unlimited access to AIIM/OnDemand exhibit halls. On May 16, Bruce Chizen, Adobe CEO, will present a keynote address on "Beyond the Document: Transforming How the World Engages with Ideas and Information." AIIM will also feature the first AUC user-group meeting held in conjunction with an industry event, hosted by the local Philadelphia chapter. Not an Acrobat User Community member? Sign up now to take advantage of similar member benefits. 

John Landwehr: Raising Acrobat security awareness
As director of Security Solutions and Strategy at Adobe Systems, Landwehr senses a general lack of awareness about the varied Acrobat security features and solutions. He also sees a significant opportunity to educate customers on the related issues and techniques -- on topics ranging from Acrobat-based redaction to security policies to digital signatures, many which he explores in his regularly updated Security Matters blog.

JavaScript Corner by Thom Parker opens
Thom Parker of Windjack Solutions shares JavaScript tips, in-depth articles and working examples in this new technology corner. Thom's first article explores "The Acrobat JavaScript Console," one of the essential tools included in the Acrobat JavaScript Debugger. 

Adobe PDF Print Engine enables 'no-excuses printing'
by Kurt Foss, Editor, AcrobatUsers.com

Adobe Systems recently announced new printing software technology - dubbed Adobe PDF Print Engine - that facilitates more efficient print workflows and increased automation. It's based on industry standard Portable Document Format (PDF) and Job Definition Format (JDF).

Hurricane coverage: PDF delivery contributes to Pulitzer
The Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans had a major, multi-faceted predicament on its hands soon after Hurricane Katrina roared into the area late last August, causing some of the city's protective levees to collapse. While the devastated community was desperate for timely information, the daily paper's printing facilities quickly flooded, power to its newsroom was soon lost and its staff told to evacuate. Even if the capacity to print a conventional newspaper over the first few days had been maintained, much of its readership had fled the city, with no definite timeline for returning.

After setting up a makeshift newsroom some 80 miles away, the newspaper staff continued publishing -- but for the first three days, only on the Internet. A breaking news blog featured a steady stream of news brief items, and a downloadable PDF edition of each day's paper -- replicating the look and design of the paper version -- kept the news flowing until temporary printing could be arranged. Eventually paper editions began being printed and trucked around the area, but the online coverage became the heart of the post-hurricane reporting for many displaced residents or interested observers.

The heroic efforts earned the newspaper two prestigious Pulitzer Prizes — journalistic gold medals — earlier this month. The Times-Picayune was honored in two categories: Breaking News Reporting and Public Service.

Ironically, three years earlier the newspaper had published a five-part series titled "Washing Away" that not only predicted a catastrophic hurricane and flood, but showed the kind of destruction that could result if the city's levees were breached — precisely how the bulk of Katrina's still-lingering damage was done. A pair of detailed, PDF-based graphics — Going Under [PDF: 24 MB]   and Last Line of Defense [PDF: 27 MB]   — that utilized the latest computer-modeling technologies proved to be eerily and unfortunately accurate.

Catastrophic [PDF: 500 KB]   – Page 1, August 30, 2005
Under Water [PDF: 172 KB]   – Page 1, August 31, 2005
Hitting Bottom [PDF: 292 KB]   – Page 1, September 1, 2005
Help Us Please [PDF: 748 KB]   – Page 1, September 2, 2005

Tell us your favorite Acrobat keyboard shortcut!
Got a favorite Acrobat keyboard command shortcut? Tell us which keyboard command you find most useful and why. We'll publish a cross-section of user submissions in the near future. (NOTE: To use shortcuts, you must select Use Single-Key Accelerators to Access Tools option in the General panel of the Preferences dialog box.)

Have you upgraded?
In case you're wondering about what's covered in the latest upgrades for Acrobat Standard and Pro, and about the improvements and bug fixes, a recent tech support document provides the details — and links to the installers for both Windows and Mac OS X.