The simplest way to create PDF files for free is to download Open Office
1.1. Yes, It's a big download, but it will build PDFs from any MSOffice
document. And it'd great software, and it's free!
I really like OpenOffice.org 1.1, in fact I installed it on my XP Pro system
about an hour ago -- however I would contend that it is the most efficient
and most simple way to create PDF files cheaply. Install a PostScript
printer driver from your Windows installation CD, then download and install
GhostScript and GSView (which are both free and much smaller downloads than
OOo, find them at
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/index.htm) and you have a
simple PDF creator. Then in your application simply print to your PS
driver, and select the print to file option in your printer dialog box.
You'll be left with a *.ps file which you then open up in GSView and convert
it to PDF. You can even miss out the middle-bit by installing RedMon to
redirect the output from the Printer Driver -- I omitted this bit when I did
it as I enjoyed creating the PDF 'by hand'. All details, FAQs and
documentation are on the site.
I've got more details about creating cheap (and not so) on my website
http://www.garethjmsaunders.co.uk/pc/pdf.html
Enjoy! This is how I first got into PDF creation. I then moved to PDF
Creator and now Adobe Acrobat 5.0.5.
Gareth J M Saunders
Edinburgh, UK