REG RUN NIVA PLATINUM
Reviewed April 2007

What’s It Do?

Nitro PDF Professional claims to provide quick and easy PDF creation, powerful text, image and layout editing features, intuitive commenting tools and robust, and comprehensive security functionality.


Does it do what it says it does?

Reviewer 1: No. It does not convert PDF documents to Word as advertised. The company is using a non-standard numbering system in its revisions. The most current version is 4.91 which would leave most consumers with the impression that this product has been through at least four major product revisions and nine minor updates. This is patently false as according to its own website, the very first version released in 2005 was version 4.80, followed a month later by bug fix to 4.81, yet another minor update one month later to 4.90 and one year later one last likely bug fix to the current version. So, in fact, using the industry-wide version numbering system, this product would be, at most, version 1.1.1—a program in the very earliest stages of development.

Reviewer 2: With the exception of saving .pdf documents in Microsoft Word format as described below, NitroPDF provides robust .pdf file creation and editing features. Support is a feature highlighted as a benefit in their manual, but support options are rather limited for a program of this caliber.

Reviewer 3: It created PDFs from most documents I tired and added three icons to the tool bar for instant access to PDF tools. It did stumble on converting a fairly simple PDF to a word document. The PDF was mixed text and a few “frames” or blocks of color boxes containing text as well. NitroPDF had a big problem with alignment. Everything was off a half line it seemed.

Reviewer 4: Because much of the work that I do requires the ability to create files in ".PDF" (“portable document format”) format, this program has turned out to be a very useful tool. In the past, this panel has reviewed several programs which produce PDF files. In comparison with Nitro PDF Professional, their functions are quite limited. Although I have a few features that I would personally prefer to see modified or changed, Nitro PDF Professional has many additional functions that make it possible to work with, to modify and to manage PDF files in many helpful ways.


Was it easy to install?

Reviewer 1: No. Not only was it an unusually large 34.71MB download which is nearly impossible to download on a dial-up connection and far greater in size that most all of its competitors save for Adobe, but the registration process was a nightmare—taking me over two hours and multiple calls for support help to complete. Furthermore, its uninstaller does not work and it is nearly impossible to uninstall manually even by someone who has some computer expertise.

Reviewer 2: Installation was fast and simple, but I find the license agreement objectionable. The agreement includes a clause which allows them to change the terms of the agreement at any time, and you must agree to the changes to continue to use the program. I’m not a lawyer, but to me this changes this “contract” into an agreement to either continue use of the program on whatever terms they choose, or to pay for the program and then to abandon its use if the revised terms change to something objectionable. The license also discloses that support is not included with this program and that it may be obtained at an additional, unspecified price, but which is listed on the Web site as costing $10.00 for a single inquiry by email over a 12 month period. Further exploration of the Web site reveals that email support is included free for the first 14 days after product registration. Finally, the license agreement provides a product inactivation feature which may be triggered, for example, by too many installations.

Reviewer 3: Yes, it downloaded and installed quickly with no problems.

Reviewer 4: Although it is not always necessary to close all running applications when you are installing a new software program, in this case, it is wise to do so. I had a "Notes" program in the taskbar, and had to close it. Apart from this, the installation went smoothly, and I was able to install the program and program icons where I wanted. As explained in the EULA (End Users License Agreement), the program requires both a registration code and an activation process: both must be completed within 30 days of installing the software. The software license is limited to use on one computer only.

Good Points:

Reviewer 1: At $99.00 it costs $200.00 less than Adobe; but then if it were FREE it would be overpriced.

Reviewer 2: Generally, I found all of the editing tools I would expect of a full-featured document processing program. PDF documents can be opened and edited, created from scratch from within this program, or imported from a wide variety of file formats. The layout of the tools is clear and functions are generally obvious when working from a menu bar as I am generally inclined to do. One minor feature which I liked and found lacking on another .pdf editing program is the ability to choose whether to scroll through a document continuously or page-by-page. The other program was locked into the page-by-page display option which I found to be an unnatural way to read through a document.

Reviewer 3: It worked quickly and is useful for converting reasonably simple text PDFs into Word .doc format for editing.

Reviewer 4: Nitro PDF Professional can be somewhat overwhelming at first. I found that it was worth following through the Product Tour on the Web site; in fact, I even created a shortcut on my desktop, so that I could get to it easily from time-to-time. (It is located under Products > Nitro PDF Professional > Product Tour). As you go through the Tour, you begin to discover the multitude of ways that you can manipulate your files, from adding pop-up notes, watermarks, stamps, bookmarks, editing text and images and even digitally sign your PDF files. Similarly, you can use the Help file included in the program. What I particularly like about this file is the manner of its presentation; many of the features of "Nitro-produced" PDF files appear there as part of the Help file itself. A much more detailed "Product Manual" is available online; I was unable, however, to work out a quick way of downloading the manual itself. A particularly useful feature is the ability to combine several PDF files into one, or to add one which I am viewing to one already saved on disk. I also discovered the "stamp" function, and use it frequently. I was interested to note that the "Notes" function can be read by Acrobat Reader, but does not show up in the Foxit Reader. Like a number of other PDF creation programs, Nitro PDF Professional will install itself as a Printer, so it will show up in the Print dialog box. This makes it possible to create a Nitro PDF file from within almost any other program or type of program that has a print function. As well, a PDF file can be created simply by dragging it and dropping it on the desktop Nitro PDF icon. Nitro PDF Professional also installs a shortcut in the "right-click menu", so that right-clicking on a file-name, and selecting the "Convert file to pdf" option easily converts a file to .pdf format. With Nitro PDF Professional set as your default PDF reader, one can then edit the resulting file. In addition to the functions of Nitro PDF Professional itself, registered users of the Professional version of the program can also download a free copy of "PDF Workshop." This is essentially an Excel Macro. Once installed, it appears as an extra toolbar in Excel, from which you can scan a folder or set of folders, or even a drive for all your PDF files. The resulting columns list the various properties of each file, which you then can manipulate as you would any normal Excel file. For example, you could select a set of files, and put in an author's name, or you could set passwords for those files, or you could add notes which would then appear in the properties dialog of each of those files, and so on. You are not really manipulating the files themselves, but the "Properties" of those files. This is certainly easier than opening each file one by one, and inserting or changing the properties of each one.


Weak Points:

Reviewer1: I really do not know where to begin simply because in my over twenty years of working with and testing computer software I cannot remember a program more flawed than this one. The 304-page instruction manual is nearly unreadable due to its lack of indexing and even then it does not cover the most basic functions. Tech support is non-responsive and after a short trial period users must pay for support at the rate of $10.00 a year for one (ONE request,) $40.00 per year for five requests, and $75.00 per year for ten requests. The program imbeds itself deeply into your operating system and default printer settings taking over many of its controls and functions, making it nearly impossible to uninstall. Once uninstalled, a non-working tool bar and non-functioning buttons remain in the Word toolbar. From time to time when clicking on various applications on my computer that have nothing to do with Nitro PDF, the Nitro PDF install program opens up and tries to run—even when the Nitro PDF program is not running; and, it tended to freeze up and/crash my system randomly from time to time and for no apparent reason.. There is no spell check, conversions to Word result in a text box around every line, it will not read any files created by Adobe Acrobat, it will not render graphics such as toolbars, boxes, buttons, OpenType fonts cannot be used, its file compression results in fuzzy and unreadable documents, it does not work on “image” PDF files, it inserts annoying toolbars into your MS Office applications, and it is a huge resource hog and slowed down even my very powerful system.

Reviewer 2: The feature to save documents as Microsoft Word files did not function well on my system. I opened a 22-page .pdf document and then chose this option. The save process took about two minutes as the text was “extracted” page by page; and the text in the resulting MS Word document was gibberish. Text conversion worked fine on a simple, one paragraph text-only document, and the “Save as Microsoft Word Document” was an inactive, grayed-out option for an intermediately-sized document which I assume was password protected by the author since other editing functions also would not work on this document. The help file is a .pdf document which opens in NitroPDF. Therefore, if you are editing a document and need help, your document and your help file both open within the same program. This makes toggling between the help screen and the work document less convenient than if they opened in different programs.

Reviewer 3: It was not totally accurate in PDF to Word conversions. As long as it was simple text and not many graphic elements it did okay; but, with fancy fonts or graphics it had a problem getting it right. Page layout suffered and some of the OCR wasn’t right.

Reviewer 4: Generally speaking, the support provided by a software developer is a critical element when I decide whether or not to purchase a program. I do not like to purchase a program, then have to pay an additional amount for program support. There is a users' forum, where people who use the program can exchange tips and ways of using the program. You can also submit questions, and other users will post answers or suggestions. At the present time, that forum is being revised so is off-line. I could not find reference to it on the Web site; usually developers will include a link to a users forum either on the home page, or in the Support module. I could not find it in either of these places. I eventually found it by Googling it. When I am producing a PDF file from within another document, I would often like to view a document before I save it do disk. PDF Factory, which I use constantly, has a button "View PDF" beside the "Save" button, and that gives me the choice of which way I want to do it. I also use the free Foxit PDF reader as the default program to open PDF files – the Adobe Reader is far too slow. Most of the time, I do not need to actually work on a file, but simply to be able to read it, and perhaps print it. As Nitro PDF Professional is somewhat slower in opening files (although much faster than Adobe) because it is loading many additional functions, it is not my primary "reader' program.


Other Comments:

Reviewer 1: I don’t usually accuse software developers or distributors of deception, fraud, or attempting to scam the public nor do I normally offer a review in which I can not offer something positive to say. Nitro PDF Pro is an exception. Furthermore, as has been my policy, I refuse to recommend even the best programs if they are in the business of selling support rather than a well developed product. Nitro PDF Pro meets or exceeds all of the above criteria. Beware! Not only do I not recommend this product but would urge you to stay far, far away as this program is . . . little more than a scam in my opinion. It is not even worthy of being considered a beta release.

Reviewer 2: Interestingly, URL links from their help document opened the Web pages in Internet Explorer (IE), even though my default browser is Firefox. In the version reviewed (4.91) there was no support for viewing .pdf files in any other browser than IE. To view files while using Firefox, it was necessary to add the add-on to open tabs in IE, and then right click on the .pdf link and open it in an IE tab.

Reviewer 3: It is better than nothing. Converting from PDF to Word or anything else that will let you edit the PDF content, not just annotate, is worth dealing with its quirkiness.

Reviewer 4: This is a powerful program with a myriad of features not available in other PDF creation programs. Although the professional version is expensive when compared to those we have previously used, it is able to do much more. For people who do not require all the tools of the Professional version, they might consider looking at Nitro PDF Express, the "slimmed-down version". Although the price of Nitro PDF Professional is higher than the price range of programs we normally review, it is much more affordable than the Adobe Acrobat PDF program.


Will You Continue To Use It?

Reviewer 1: No

Reviewer 2: No.

Reviewer 3: This is a useful tool that I will continue to use. For a $99 retail for the Pro version, the price compares favorably with Adobe’s $400+ to do the same thing. And, Adobe products seem to be “bloatware” more and more. I’ve stopped using Acrobat entirely because it is too slow to load.

Reviewer 4: Yes.

OPERATING SYSTEMS USED IN THIS REVIEW
Windows XP Pro, XP Home, XP Media Center Edition

Back