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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
nice for annotation, August 31, 2009
This review is from: Bluebeam PDF Revu: Standard Edition (CD-ROM)
I liked this product well enough after the 30 day trial to buy it. Main feature for me is the ability to annotate PDFs using a tablet PC. Very nice for copyediting, much faster than dragging/typing on virtual sticky notes. The interface is customizable so you can have it be terse and "confusing" or simple and menu-driven.
The price is high, but it's justified if your work involves a lot of copyediting.
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4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not the "better alternative" it's marketed to be, March 17, 2009
This review is from: Bluebeam PDF Revu: Standard Edition (CD-ROM)
Bluebeam makes a big deal of "We Do PDF Better" and being the "Acrobat Alternative". But, unfortunately, their product is at least as buggy as the bloated Acrobat. And worse, even when their own support people acknowledge glaring defects in the product, their only solution is to require you to BUY an expensive upgrade that's not even released yet!
Here's a quick list of things Bluebeam shares with Acrobat:
Buggy software: And I mean SERIOUS bugs in Bluebeam like the bookmarks in large PDF files don't even work. And I'm using 6.5.4 which has already undergone several updates and is at the end of its life. I can't imagine how bad 7.0.0 will be! Part of the problem might be that it appears to be partly based on public Mozilla software. And if that's true, they want you to pay big bucks for a dressed up version of something they got for free.
An Awkward Interface: Even the company that makes the very user-unfriendly Photoshop actually wins here. Acrobat is way more intuitive than Bluebeam. The Bluebeam interface seems to be reflect Bluebeam's engineering/CAD roots and perhaps the Autodesk geeks like it. For everyone else, be prepared for something that doesn't look or work like anything you've probably ever used before.
Obnoxious support policies: Unless you buy their maintenance plan, Bluebeam doesn't feel they have any obligation to support the software you purchased. They were even so helpful as to point out the license agreement says it's delivered "as is" so they're legally off the hook. Nice touch. Instead, they want you to wait for the next release and pay half again as much for an upgrade you don't otherwise want with who knows how many NEW bugs.
Obnoxious product activation: Just like with Adobe, don't lose those magic license numbers and be prepared for the software to contact Big Brother Bluebeam when you install it. And if you upgrade your computer don't forget to follow the many steps to transfer your license to the new one. You better also hope your drive or computer doesn't die, because then you have to contact Bluebeam with your serial number and plead your case that you're really not trying to steal anything--you just want to re-install the software you already own.
Bluebeam only has couple questionable advantages over Acrobat. Bluebeam has a lower list price, but if you have a previous version of Acrobat Standard, you can probably upgrade to Acrobat 9 for less than the cost of Bluebeam. And Bluebeam is less bloated and takes up less space on your hard drive. But, in my opinion, those benefits don't outweigh its many shortcomings and Bluebeam's refusal to support the product in a fair way.
Intuit made much of their customer base unhappy by forcing everyone into expensive upgrades and Bluebeam seems to be using the exact same unpopular business model: Corporate Greed! My advice: Don't give them your money.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
STAY AWAY: Save Your Sanity!, May 2, 2010
This review is from: Bluebeam PDF Revu: Standard Edition (CD-ROM)
I do a great deal of work with .pdf forms -- mostly completing them as part of applications, but also working with them in other respects. I was recommended Bluebeam PDF Revu Standard after some program access problems with Acrobat. I consider myself quite qualified regarding .pdfs.
This is by far and away the worst product I've ever had the misfortune to have to deal with for .pdfs. Thankfully, I did not tie up money in it: I tried the free trial (now uninstalled!) The interface is unmanageable in ANY of its forms, and it has so many bugs and glitches I can't list them all here. Trying to complete a form on it was agony and in the end, after several hours of struggling with a TWO page form, I gave up and...
...'caved': I bought Acrobat 9 - an OEM version that was far less costly than the usual Acrobat. I didn't need all the manuals, etc., so this was not an issue for me. I highly recommend the same approach if need be. If you have an older Acrobat version, get the upgrade only -- also lower cost, but you must have the serial number of your older version (back as far as Acro 6 will be covered via upgrade terms).
'Tis a very good thing indeed that Amazon no longer carries this - and stay away from the Bluebeam website, too! Read all the reviews here: they are accurate in their estimation of this so-called product. Perhaps if one is CAD-ish, it might make sense, but I highly doubt it.
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