My will to live is ebbing away. Please, how do I create a PDF?

[MyEye]

Tecchy numbskull here*. I have a Mac, OSX, need to submit something in a PDF format, have been rooting around online and have downloaded various progs that say they're free PDF writers -- but can't find them on my system, or open them from the downloads file.
Just wondered if anyone knows what I'm doing wrong, or if there's an easier way to write PDFs.

• No, I'm not being girlishly modest.

[GeekBoy]

Errm.. ..if you've got OSX you can easily turn anything into a PDF by printing it! Select the document or whatever, hit print, then choose the PDF option..

[MyEye]

Oh my goodness! How on earth did you know that? Why on earth didn't I?
Thanks so much.

[Twinkie1]

What if OSX?

Was asked to do this yesterdy and said no sorry my laptop is not enabled but that is getting old and they will rumble me soon!

[MyEye]

it's an operating system.
I think that's what it is, anyway.

[GeekBoy]

OS X is the operating system that runs on shiny new(ish) macs.. ....to print things as pdfs on PCs google for cutepdf - it sets a special printer up on your windows pc that instead of printing the document, turns it into a PDF and it's completely free.. ...and more importantly it works!

[SheikYerbouti]

Can I just say, as a production ed, if you are going to submit stuff as a pdf, please make sure tis correct

I have a permanent headache caused by clients who send in pdf, which we have to send back for them to correct as it's a finished file - there for not accessible.

[SheikYerbouti]

therefore obv

Am not a very good production editor

[GeekBoy]

iPods rabbit??? This is a PDF chat.. ;-)

[GeekBoy]

cutePDF is free though ;-) How's the website building going LL? spent all day reading and writing functional specs for new sites.. ...very very very dull...

[GeekBoy]

yep.. ...it's designed for PC (sort of). You just need to install the Ghostscript converter and the cutePDF bits and you're away...
www.cutepdf.com/

[GeekBoy]

you must remember that all computers are sentient - they can hear your words and read your thoughts.. ..most of the time they're not bothered though until the magic word 'deadline' gets thought/uttered - then you're screwed...

[Kevlarhead]

Random thought; open office has an export to .pdf option.

Only just found that out the other day, and was rather surprised/chuffed.

[GeekBoy]

I seem to recall M$ have rolled it into Office 2007 as well....