• AdobeReader5

If you do not like the larger than ever adobe acrobat reader version 7 (now renamed "adobe reader"), you can search the web for version 5.06 instead. Note that no version 6 for linux was released. Adobe used to keep a list of older versions on their website, but they have discontinued this and removed old linux versions.

I found my copy here http://www.planetmirror.com/pub/adobe/acrobatreader/unix/5.x/linux-509.tar.gz but searching for 'linux-509.tar.gz' might give you a link closer to home.

installation

The reader version 5 is very easy to install (tested under debian sarge, fully updated June 2005):

• download the tar file

• as root, go to a temporary directory, say:

   mkdir /tmp/acroread5; cd /tmp/acroread 5'
  

• untar the file in this directory 'tar xvf ????/linux-506.tar.gz'

where you enter the full path to your tar file where I typed ????

• run the install script: './INSTALL'
• I installed in '/opt/acroread5'
• create a link: 'ln -s /opt/acroread5/bin/acroread /usr/bin/X11/'
• remove /tmp/acroread5 (it will be automatically removed upon next startup)
• run it by typing 'acroread' or create various links

intergration

• if you know how to include it in your gnome/kde environment, please add

instructions here. I don't use either, so I cannot be of much help. I think the following might be enough:

• I prefer to view my files with xpdf, so I did not change /etc/mailcap. If you

want to open pdf files with acroread by default, edit /etc/mailcap to read this in between the -- User Section Begins -- and -- User Section Ends -- lines

 application/pdf; /usr/bin/X11/acroread '%s'; test=test "$DISPLAY" != "";  
 description=Portable Document Format; nametemplate=%s.pdf

(this should be one long line)

• A much nicer way to do the previous is to add a acroread file to

/usr/lib/mime/packages and have that file read

 application/pdf; /usr/bin/X11/acroread '%s'; test=test "$DISPLAY" != ""; 
 description=Portable Document Format; nametemplate=%s.pdf; priority=6

After creating that file, run 'update-mime' (as root) and check whether the entry is inserted into /etc/mailcap. You might want to change /etc/mailcap.order to make sure that acroread is listed above xpdf or so, only the first 'application/pdf' entry in /etc/mailcap will be used.