Because Apple and Adobe are currently feuding, Apple users will have a difficult time accessing our research. As noted in the big red box atop our Terms & Conditions, many Apple users are able to access our research. However, because we can't force Apple executives and Adobe executives into the same room, we cannot solve all Apple user's access problems.

These things need to happen (in order shown below) for Apple users to access our software:

1. Download and install the latest version of the Mozilla Firefox browser (This is free)
2. Download and install Adobe Acrobat Reader version 8.x. NOTE: Versions 9.x and higher do not work. (This is free)
3. Download and install the FileOpen plugin from this web page (This is free)
4. Associate PDF files with Acrobat and not the native Apple "Reader" application.

For some Apple users, these four steps are all that are necessary. A very small number of users have success with Safari or Chrome browsers. In our experience, however, using Firefox usually provides the simplest path to success.

Additionally, about half our Apple users user Firefox to download the PDF file directly to their hard drive. Depending on your operating system version, you can accomplish this by clicking and holding on the link or pressing the apple key and then clicking on the link or right clicking the link. Save the file to a location you'll remember. Once the file is downloaded, open Acrobat and use the File --> Open command within Acrobat to open the PDF file you just downloaded.

A percentage of users following the four steps above are good to go right away. If you are fortunate enough to be one of these users, stop now. One key to accessing our research on an Apple machine is not to mess with it once it works. If you're able to access our test page at this point, you don't need to bother with the information below.

If the four steps above didn't work, then try these more detailed steps one at a time unti you get some success.

Associate PDF files with Acrobat

Most Apple users report the following steps happen automatically after following the four steps at the top of the page. If they do not, or if other programs or program updates screw things up, try going through the following steps.

1. Use an existing PDF file on your machine or download any non-BSR PDF file to your hard drive.
2. Select the PDF file and right click to get a pop-up menu. Some Macs do not have any way to right click. Try using Ctrl+Click, the Apple+Click, or click and hold. The goal is to get a little menu to pop up.
3. Choose "Get Info" off the pop-up menu
4. Select "Open With"
5. Select "Adobe Reader"
6. Click the "Change All" button. You'll get a warning box. Click "Continue"

With luck, you will have associated all PDF files with Acrobat. Some users report having to repeat this step after certain updates. Try to access our research again now before moving on.

Firefox Settings

Most Apple users report the following steps happen automatically after following the four steps at the top of the page. If they do not, or if other programs or program updates screw things up, try going through the following steps from inside Firefox.

1. Open the "Options" page in Firefox under Tools --> Options
2. In the "Search" box, type "PDF"
3. Click on "Adobe Acrobat Document". If this does not appear, verify you have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed.
4. In the drop-down box to the right, select "Use Adobe Acrobat 8.x" where the "x" is any number (e.g. 8.2, 8.4, etc)
5. Click OK.

With luck, you will have told Firefox to use only Adobe Acrobat Reader 8.x to open our research. Some users report having to repeat this step after certain updates. Try to access our research again now before moving on.

Adobe Acrobat Reader Settings

It is very important you do not allow Adobe to update your Acrobate Reader beyond version 8.x for Apple operating systems. We strongly recommend you go into your Acrobat settings and disable automatic updates, changing the settings to only notifying you when updates are available. Only install security updates to your existing version and DO NOT download any new version beyond 8.x for Apple. If you downloaded newer versions, click here to go to the Adobe site. Apple users should choose the "10.4.11-10.5.7" operating system matching their processor.

Most Apple users report the following steps happen automatically after following the four steps at the top of the page. If they do not, or if other programs or program updates screw things up, try going through the following steps from inside the Acrobat Reader.

1. Open the Adobe Acrobat Reader
2. Select Edit --> Prefrences
3. Click on "Internet" from the list in the box on the left hand side
4. Click the box next to "Display PDF in Browser"
5. Click "OK"
6. Select Edit --> Preferences again.
7. Click on "Updater" from the list in the box on the left hand side
8. Chose the button next to "Do not download or install updates automatically"
9. Click "OK" (Note: Adobe will still notify you of updates. Decline any update that upgrades you to version 9 or higher.

With luck, you will cause Reader to allow you to view our research simply by clicking a link on our web page. Some users report having to repeat this step after certain updates. Try to access our research again now before moving on.

FileOpen Plugin

1. Open Adobe Acrobat Reader.
2. Go go to Help --> About 3rd Party Plugins. You should see "FileOpen WebPublisher". If you do not, you are not successfully installing the FileOpen plugin. Repeat the FileOpen installation step from this web page and restart your machine. If a second try still does not get the FileOpen plugin installed, uninstall Acrobat Reader and restart your machine. Reinstall Acrobat Reader from the link at the top of the screen. Then repeat the FileOpen installation step from this web page and check the Help screen again too see if it installed correctly.

Nothing is working! Help!

We reiterate the problem here is Apple and Adobe corporate management teams are feuding. We (and you) are caught in the middle. There is not a great deal we can do if the above steps don't work. Some Subscribers have taken these instructions down to their local Apple store to get help. Others have asked friends, relatives, or the corner computer store for help. Since we are not Apple users, we can provide only limited help.

If you choose to not use Firefox, you will need to figure this out on your own. Most people conclude the Google Chrome browser -- PC or Mac -- doesn't work. The Safari browser works about 20% of the time, and usually only when people download the PDF to their local hard drive. Fortunately, the Firefox browser is well constructed and the best of the four major browsers when it comes to security.

If nothing above helps, we recommend you uninstall Adobe Acrobat Reader and the FileOpen plugin. Restart your machine, then continue through steps 2-4 at the very top of the page. Sometimes doing a clean install can help erase settings that are getting in the way. If you uninstall and reinstall with no luck, try the following:

1. Using whatever method your machine is set for (right click, click+hold, Apple key+click), save the PDF containing our research to your local hard drive in a place you remember.
2. Open Adobe Acrobat Reader
3. In Reader, Choose File-->Open and select the PDF containing our research. If the file doesn't open at this point, go to Help --> About 3rd Party Plugins. You should see "FileOpen WebPublisher". If you do not, you are not successfully installing the FileOpen plugin. Repeat the FileOpen installation step.
4. If you were successful under this method, then you are good to go. If you were not successful, communicate to us the following information:

• What operating system version you are using.
• What version of Firefox you are using (Help --> About Mozilla Firefox)
• What version of Acrobat Reader you are using (Help --> About Adobe Reader)
• Any and all error message you received when installing Adobe Acrobat Reader or the FileOpen plugin
• Any and all error messages you received when trying to open our research.
• A screen print showing the "FileOpen Web Publisher" entry in step 3 above.
  

It is unlikely we'll be able to figure out a solution, but sometimes we can. If we can't, we'll happily refund your money. For what it is worth, 99.9% of our PC customers have no problems because Microsoft and Adobe aren't feuding.