Software Publishers

Adobe has announced that the latest iteration of the industry-leading digital document tool, Adobe Acrobat, version 7, will be shipping at the end of Dec. 2004.

Acrobat 7.0 Professional now includes Adobe LiveCycle (Windows only) to create PDF forms that look like the paper forms they replace. Incorporate business logic, such as calculations and data validations. This means you can now create forms which perform functions versus simply entering data. (Presumably this may lead to updated IRS tax forms that can not only take data fields but do calculations without an external application.)

A new organizer lets you sort, view previews of, and locate PDF files in your library, or which you're working with.

Enhanced multimedia features allow easy attachment of content like graphs and spreadsheets, enhanced header/footer capability allows simplified inclusion of paging when combining files into larger document.

Interactive feedback capability allows anyone using Acrobat Reader 7.0 to participate in reviews or comments within a document so enabled.

Acrobat 7.0 is offered in three forms, from the entry-level Elements, a mid-line standard version, and the top professional edition.

Standard pricing direct from Adobe will be $449 for a new license of Acrobat 7.0 Professional. Upgrades are priced as $159 for a professional edition upgrade. Acrobat 7.0 Standard is $299, with upgrades from earlier versions $99.

The Elements edition is only available for licensing for 1,000 or more "seats." Presumably Acrobat Elements could also be potentially bundled with flatbed scanners in the future in the same way Photoshop Elements is now.

More information: www.Adobe.com