If you are unsure of what the differences are between the file formats we offer for our free downloads, here is a brief description of each. (Note: not all files are available in all formats.)
Short recommendation: If you connect at standard modem speeds and already have a program on your computer to unzip files (most people will fall into this category) you will be best suited by downloading files in the "Rich Text, Zipped" format (provided the file you desire to download is available in this format). Anyone with different circumstances and/or a higher-speed internet connection can choose which of the other formats suits them best.
A note about file sizes: all files have next to them a number in parenthesis with the letter "k" next to it (i.e., 250k). This is the size of the file, in thousands of bytes. 250k is 1/4 of a megabyte (MB = 1,000 bytes). A standard 56k modem can download about 1MB every 4-5 minutes. This can help you determine the time it should take to complete downloads.
Plain Text, Zipped - This format provides the smallest possible file size, to minimize the time it takes to download the file to your computer (especially if you have a slow modem). The text does not retain any formatting, however. This means there will be no bold, italics, underlining, etc. This file format can be read by any text-editing program on any Windows-based computer, such as Notepad, WordPad, Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, etc. You will also need a program such as WinZip to unzip the file. You most likely already have a program like this on your computer, but if you don't you can download WinZip for free from www.winzip.com.
Plain Text - This is the same as the previous format, but does not need to be unzipped. This makes the file larger and takes a little more time to download, but saves you the step of unzipping (which is very helpful if you don't already have an unzip program on your computer).
Rich Text, Zipped - This format provides the second-smallest file size, while retaining most of the text formatting in the original document (bold, italics, underlining). It is also readable by almost all Windows text editing programs, such as WordPad, Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, etc. You will also need a program to unzip the file.
Rich Text - This is the same as the previous format, but does not need to be unzipped. This makes the file larger and takes a little more time to download, but saves you the step of unzipping (which is very helpful if you don't already have an unzip program on your computer).
Microsoft Word, Zipped - This format is very similar to "Rich Text, Zipped" in file size and appearance, but is intended for those who have Microsoft Word installed on their computer. In some cases, the file will look better than a file you download in Rich Text format.
Microsoft Word - This is the same as the previous format, but does not need to be unzipped. This makes the file larger and takes a little more time to download, but saves you the step of unzipping (which is very helpful if you don't already have an unzip program on your computer).
Adobe PDF, Zipped - This format is the second-largest file to download (making it less desirable for those with slow connections), but it retains all of the formatting of the original document. Everything appears exactly as it would if you had a printed hard copy of the file. You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this file. It is likely that you already have this on your computer. You will also need a program to unzip the file.
Adobe PDF - This is the largest file format to download, and is identical to the previous format except that it does not need to be unzipped after downloading. Note that some files are only available in "Adobe PDF" format, and not in "Adobe PDF, Zipped" format because compressing them to zip files would only result in a negligible decrease in download time.
