Skip to main content
M
meem5
New Participant
May 4, 2015
Question

Adobe Reader Acrobat DC: what where they thinking??

  • May 4, 2015
  • 17 replies
  • 34599 views

I made an Adobe account especially for this posting. I am not someone who complains a lot or writes all over the web about software. But for this new DC thing I make a big exception.

I did build a new PC and after that I also went over to Adobe site to download Adobe Reader. Something was there by default called Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.

Mmm, confusing: I don't have or want Acrobat, that's a complete other line of Adobe products. So had to search but no, turns out that for some reason the reader now also is part of the Acrobat line. Plus only DC is offered, nothing else.

Well okay, download and install.

First impression: looks weird, a way to big tools sidebar too. Ah well, I can disable that. Nope, the sidebar is always there.

Interface and layout: horrible. But okay, I can learn to live with that.

Okay, next step: disable the automatic update. Nope, can not be done, the auto update is always On.

Well okay, lets see if I can get rid of all the "become member" and "Cloud" notifications. Nope, Adobe somehow decided to nag people to death in the Reader so they get a paid account and go into the cloud.

I really don't know what Adobe was thinking when the made this DC thing but it's just horrible. I know the side Toolbar will have the option to be hidden constantly within a month or 3, I know I can disable the Auto update withing Windows Services, I know I can use Windows Registry tweaks to disable things, I know there is a DC Configurator Wizzard to set things.

But it's ridicules that all that is needed to get a normal working, simple PDF Reader!!

And that is my experience for personal use: for my work DC has even more become a completely useless tool with all the things that have to be configured before the users can use it.

Adobe, do mention on your download page that DC is no simple PDF Reader anymore but just another way to generate money by trying to get people to get a Adobe account so they can get more features? Do mention that Adobe Reader as we know it is no more, that it has been replaced by this DC thing?

Sorry Adobe, I uninstalled this DC thing and I am looking for a good and simple alternative for at work. With sadness I say goodbye to Adobe Reader which I used for so many years. Thank you Adobe by rewarding us all with this ... this ... DC Thing

      This topic has been closed for replies.

      17 replies

      Show previous replies
      O
      Oceandusk
      New Participant
      October 14, 2015

      Bosses,

      this is new acrobat dc is super confusing. UX Design failed here big time. I simply could not pic a particular document in my taskbar. I have open several documents but when I right click on the acrobat icon in taskbar it shows me old document list. so i cant pin the recently most opened document. forget about the rest of the functions in side. even it did not import any setup from my old acrobat. Can't believe it was made by Adobe. I will be very happy if you guys stop promoting COMPANY POLICY AND MOTIVATIONAL WORDS. New adobe is very disappointing as it will be affecting my work every hours until you fix it.

      Thanks

        M
        mwkennedy65
        New Participant
        October 9, 2015

        I have a wonderful professional copy of Adobe X.  Because it refuses to set itself up to preview properly in Windows 8/8.1/10 (an incredibly long standing issue I might note), I installed the FOXIT reader (preview problem solved).

        Then Firefox wanted me to update a plug-in and suddenly I end up with this Acrobat DC thing.  After resetting all the defaults back to where they should be manually, Windows 10 refuses to open PDF's with Adobe X Pro or preview PDF's with FOXIT even though they are now clearly the defaults (are you making registry errors perhaps?).

        Uninstall Acrobat DC and viola, problem solved.  Not to be re-installed no matter what Firefox advises.

        Please some of us are now over 50.  We need the image on the screen to be large so we can read it.  Listen to your users and get ride of the idiotic menu bar on the side of the screen it is an utter waste of space. 

        Give the reader the basic functionality to print to PDF and you will not lose so much of the market to everyone else. 

        Fix your bugs, particularly the preview bugs in the latest Windows versions.  It is really amusing that an after market program offers instant previews, and does not block Windows from deleting files that were recently opened on the preview screen.

          D
          deathtodc
          New Participant
          August 5, 2015

          I am in complete agreement with the complaints about Acrobat DC. My paid version of Acrobat XI works great.  Why would I want DC? Why am I constantly prompted to download and install DC? Was the user interface designed by a toddler?

          I am not about to use DC for my confidential documents without being able to see all the details of the security framework for myself. 

            F
            Frank29538131vm0c
            New Participant
            April 22, 2023

            Its business is in a wrong way. 

            A
            aloshka09
            New Participant
            July 29, 2015

            I am so happy that the original reader version 11 is still available. The DC version is awful. You can't get rid of the annoying bar, it constantly remembers every PDF I ever opened. I don't need that, Windows already does that for me and so much easier to use. The cloud is complete crap and never a feature I want to use. There are too many clouds, why would I want one JUST for PDF documents?

            Thanks for link, hopefully more customers will realize just how shady the new software is and the next version will be more like the regular reader.

            I'm the IT director and when this rolled out every user was confused and wanted to know how to get rid of that stupid bar on the right side and get the regular working version of Reader back.  Just an FYI

              M
              meem5Author
              New Participant
              May 4, 2015

              This is going to be my last text too and then unsubscribe. I made this account for this forum but now I am also member of something called "Adobe Trial Communication Series" and also Adobe Cloud and so on?? This was not mentioned at all on the page where an account can be made!

              Adobe, you are really going the wrong way here. There are a LOT of people who just want a simple PDF reader and not all this kind of member cloud trail communication whatever kind of stuff. You made something simple and good into something waaaayyyyy to complicated and not good at all

              Goodbye.

                A
                Anonymous
                May 4, 2015

                Hi ,

                It seems like you are not happy with the new UI for Acrobat DC.

                First of all I would like to tell you that Adobe Reader DC and Adobe Acrobat DC are two different software .

                DC is the common thing linked to both the software.The DC ,i.e Document Cloud states the ease of access of the PDF files,that you can view your PDF' from anywhere and from different gadgets such as your phone, laptop and your desktop by just logging to your account .

                If you did not find the new interface interesting ,you could fill in the following wish form and report the same to our engineers and they could work on it and see what best could be done for the users .

                https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

                Regards

                Sukrit Dhingra

                M
                meem5Author
                New Participant
                May 4, 2015

                @ Aadesh

                Thanks for that link. Curious though how long that will stay active since DC is now the main reader product?

                @ Sukrit

                The confusion is also here I see. They did change that. According to the Adobe pages you now have Adobe Acrobat DC and Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. Everything to do with PDF is called now Acrobat it seems. In the past everybody knew what you meant when you did say Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat. Now no more.

                And what you describe is why I and my work stop with Adobe Reader: it is a simple PDF reader, the cloud feature is totally useless and only there to make money. And especially for an office environment it is no good. And I am not alone with all this: just do a search on Google and the complaints are many.

                Thanks for that link though, will certainly use that

                AadeshSingh
                Community Manager
                AadeshSinghCommunity Manager
                Community Manager
                May 4, 2015

                Hey meem5,

                Adobe support all its products until two forward versions have been launched. As you can still see in that link you can download Adobe Reader 10, so I believe Adobe Reader 11 still have a long way to go.

                Regards,

                Aadesh

                AadeshSingh
                Community Manager
                AadeshSinghCommunity Manager
                Community Manager
                May 4, 2015

                Hi meem5,

                I can understand your frustration, however these features are core part of user interface now.

                And, yes you are correct that you can disable the Auto update withing Windows Services.

                If you really think that Adobe Acrobat Reader DC does not full-fill your needs you can still download Adobe Reader 11 using this link Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Install for all versions.

                Regards,

                Aadesh

                  A
                  Anonymous
                  May 17, 2016

                  READER XI is unavailable in AUSTRALIA . Thanks Adobe . I'm done with your products .They have become too difficult and counter intuitive and they all 'default' to reduced privacy and security for the users and the interfaces to change privacy and security are impossible to find . YOUR INTERFACES HAVE 30 second CLICK DELAYS . Are you kidding . FIRE YOUR SERVERS , they are loosing you money .

                    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
                    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices