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→Downloading the Software
Adobe Reader is a PDF viewer, similar to [[Foxit_Reader]].
= Product Type and Track =
Adobe has three products:
Acrobat Pro and Std (these require a license) and Acrobat Reader which requires a distribution agreement.
Each of these belongs to one of two tracks: Continuous or Classic. The continuous track is recommended by Adobe as they suggest it offers frequent updates and new features. The Classic track is the legacy method and gets quarterly updates but no new features.
Should you choose the continuous or classic track?
The Continuous track provides service-based tools as well as new features, security and platform enhancements, and bug fixes as part of frequent (and most often) silent updates. Over time, the Continuous track’s update cadence will be more frequent than the Classic track. Classic license program customers do not have access to this track for Acrobat.
Choose Continuous track if you:
Use named-user deployments; that is, you want to manage entitlements through enterprise IDs. In service-centric environments, it’s beneficial to have a single identity of the user across the desktop, mobile & cloud. products support federated and enterprise IDs for identity-based licensing.
Want new features delivered in updates as soon as they become available.
Use Acrobat web services.
Would like to take advantage of frequent updates for security and functionality reasons (you can leverage the silent and automatic update mode, but it is not required).
Can automatically update or push controlled updates on a 60 day schedule. Since web and desktop updates are released in tandem, keeping the desktop updated ensures features and functionality remain synchronized with Document Cloud services.
For the Continuous track, only the latest base release and last update will be available for download.
The Classic track is similar to the 11.x model and provides few (if any) new features in updates. Like previous releases, a quarterly update cadence delivers security and platform enhancements as well as bug fixes. Acrobat Classic is now available as an FRL and NUL package that you can create in the Admin console and deploy on your machines. When using the NUL package for Acrobat Classic, only the Adobe cloud storage is available. Other services, such as Share, and Send for review are disabled. As is standard with FRL licensing, there is no access to services or storage. For more information, see Feature restricted licensing.
Choose Classic track if you:
Manage a locked environment and need to control the frequency and nature of updates. All updates remain available for download.
You don’t need identity-based licensing and deployment is machine based, and the ability to manage users via the Admin Console.
Want to limit the feature set to those included in major releases.
Do not want to use services.
Want to manage updates like previous 11.x releases.
= Downloading the Software =
Which ever installation file you use, please note that '''you need permission in order to redistribute Adobe Reader, even inside a corporate network'''. You can find information about obtaining this permission here: [http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/distribution.html http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/distribution.html]
I've found that the 64-bit version from the distribution link and the "standard" version seem to be and do the same thing essentially. If you follow this: [https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/download-64-bit-installer.html] you'll have a choice to download the Pro or std version. These two versions do have different characteristics so if you know a workstation needs pro features and has a login to provide that access use that instead of std. Even though there is an upgrade path for std, it will cause problems for you trying to manually update the program using wpkg later. == Enterprise Version Using the installer ==
You can apply for a license here: http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/rdr_distribution1.html?readstep
This package generally comes as an exe file but you can open it with a using an archival utility like [http://www.7-zip.org/ 7-zip] to pull out any files you need.
Example:
7z e AdobeAcroRdrDC2600121529_en_US.exe AcroRead.msi Data1.cab
* AcroRead.msi (equivalent to the AdbeRdrxxxx_en_US.msi)
* Data1.cab
In the Pro 64-bit versions you'll need AcroPro.msi, Core.cab, AcroRdrDCx64"update number".msp.
In the Std 64-bit versions you'll need AcroPro.msi, Core.cab, AcroRdrDCx64"update number"_MUI.msp.
If you get stuck, Adobe provides loads of help and [http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/837/cpsid_83709.html resources for enterprise deployment].