Most people who email documents frequently are familiar with the file extension ".PDF," which stands for "Portable Document Format." It is the file extension used by Adobe Acrobat Reader, and is used very widely across the internet. The .PDF files are usually smaller and load faster, enabling the user to view the contents more quickly.
However, most .PDF files can't be edited in Adobe Acrobat Reader. This can be a potential problem when sharing documents like resumés or lists that are meant to be edited by each recipient of an email.
Today, an adult in the lab was trying to convert his resumé from a .PDF file to a .DOC file, the extension used by Microsoft Word documents, probably the most common type of text file. (While our computers don't have Microsoft Word, the .DOC files are able to be opened and edited by OpenOffice.)
So what was our adult to do? Should he simply re-type the file in OpenOffice word-by-word, or is there an easier way?
As is usually the case on the Internet, there is an easier way. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of online file-conversion websites, some of which charge users a fee, others of which are free for a trial period.
Using one of the free services, a website called "Zamzar," the adult was able to send his .PDF file to the site, which in turn emailed him a copy of the file as a Word Document. The whole process took under five minutes, and worked flawlessly.
Zamzar can be accessed here. It requires a working email address. A word of caution: entering your email address into any site can be a bit sketchy, as it may lead to unwanted spam email, but based on searches and info about Zamzar, it seems legitimate.
Learn more about how to convert .DOC's and other types of files with Zamzar here, or get started converting your own files here.
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