For those unwilling to invest the time spent downloading or learning to use eBook software, the following is a selection of commonly available applications used to read the majority of electronically published information. 

This free software is a general purpose reader in almost ubiquitous use. The PDF reader  has a layout similar to a web browser and is exceptionally user friendly with built-in voice technology that reads text aloud. It now incorporates the e-book reader technology inherited from Glassbook as well. The reader is available for fixed and portable PC's and for mobile and palmtop devices, and is increasingly bundled with the hardware product.

Adobe Acrobat Reader takes files with the extension ".pdf"

 

Firefox

     

 

Internet Browsers are the quickest and easiest way of reading texts. If you can find the texts on the internet, then you have the software to read them. File sizes are small and downloads fast. Browsers are available for fixed and portable PC's and for mobile and palmtop devices, and are increasingly bundled with the hardware product.

Opposite are the Logos of four of the most popular browsers linked to their suppliers websites.

Netscape and Microsoft Internet Explorer are now in competition with later offerings designed  to address speed, security and functionality issues. Mozilla Firefox and Opera are shown here.

Internet Browsers take files with the extension ".htm" or the extension ".html"

Microsoft Word is not strictly reader software, but is certainly one of the most commonly available applications on the PC. If you find publications in this format, you can guarantee that downloads will be fast, and if you don't have a compatible word processor, the free MS Word viewer will allow viewing and printing of Word files. WORD compatible software is also available for mobile and palmtop devices for example the Dataviz product, and is increasingly bundled with the hardware product.

Microsoft Word takes files with the extension ".doc"