'To Uninstall or not to Uninstall' that is the question

[goodguy4441]

I’m running Windows XP SP3 Media Center aka Win XP Professional.
Currently my computer has five versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader Update installed:
Version 6.0. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. PLUS Adobe Acrobat 6.0.1 Professional an 'end-of-life' program.
Additionally installed are: Adobe Acrobat.com [whatever that is] AND Adobe Atmosphere
Player for Acrobat and Adobe Reader.
Also installed are Adobe Reader 9.4.7 and 9.5.0
I do not use or have any requirement to employ Adobe Acrobat 6.0.1 Professional.
I would like to uninstall all of the above Except Adobe Reader [latest version] 9.5.0
[because I have been advised that it is 'sometimes required' to view PDF docs?]

My question:
is uninstalling these programs and updates practical and safe?

I've read where a program Foxit Reader would sufice for reading various PDF documents

[RetiredGeek]

Goodguy,

Welcome to the lounge as a poster.

My advice would be to download RevoUninstaller Free version and give it the deep 6 including Adobe Reader, a known security risk and bloated program. Then install Foxit Reader free PDF reader. YMMV.

[Medico]

I agree with Revo Uninstaller and good riddance to Adobe old stuff. I would however check out PDF-XChange Viewer. I use this as a free standing app and the browser plug in for all my pdf file needs.

[JoeP517]

Adobe Reader X 10.1.2 is the current version. We've tried several other PDF readers, Foxit and NitroPDF among them. We had some difficulties in printing in every thing we tried other than Adobe Reader. If you don't need to print PDf content then you can easily use another program. One thing to consider is that Adobe owns the PDF format and will almost always have the best document fidelity and support more PDF features.

Joe

[Medico]

I have had great success printing with PDF-XChange Viewer. I get all my bank statements and pay stubs online as pdf files, then save them as pdf files and print them all with PDF-XChange Viewer. Every once in a while I find a site that will not accept anything but Adobe so I still keep Adobe Reader, but PDF-XChange Viewer is set as default.

[JoeP517]

I did not say we could not print anything. We just ran into some issues in printing. Most of what was printed was fine. It always seemed as though the problems popped up when there was least amount of time to deal with them.

Joe

[jwitalka]

Its easy to fall into the "it works for me so it must work for everyone else" trap. Its nice to have options for reading and manipulating pdf files. I've seen issues documented for just about all of them. Personally, I would use Adobe since as joe said, they control the format. But if you run into issues, there are plenty of alternatives out there. Use what works best for you.

Jerry

[goodguy4441]

A very sincere thank you to all who replied.

I’m an already an ardent fan of the Revo free Uninstaller and will now put it to more good use per
the ‘professional’ consensus you guys so generously offered.

Thanks again.