Adobe Distiller Server 8 / FAQ

After careful consideration and analysis of the marketplace, Adobe has decided to end-of-life Adobe® Distiller® Server software. Demand for the product has declined continually and it is no longer economically viable for Adobe to continue supporting Distiller Server as a standalone product. Adobe will continue to develop, deliver, and support the Distiller functionality (PostScript-to-PDF conversion) in combination with Adobe Acrobat® desktop software and Adobe LiveCycle® PDF Generator ES server software.

Yes. Adobe will continue to sell Distiller Server 8 until May 31, 2013.

No.

No.

Customers can continue to use Distiller Server 8 if it still meets their requirements.

Adobe offers up-to-date distiller functionality in Adobe LiveCycle PDF Generator ES software. LiveCycle software is an enterprise class product that requires a greater degree of IT attention and works differently than the simpler Distiller Server software. Customers that require up-to-date distiller functionality and or ongoing maintenance and support should carefully consider moving to LiveCycle PDF Generator ES. Review the available product comparison for more information.

Customers who hold valid Upgrade Plan or maintenance contracts that wish to move to LiveCycle PDF Generator ES can request a complementary license via Adobe Customer Service.

Yes, Adobe will continue to honor its existing support commitments, support services will end May 31, 2013.

Adobe provides a range of free and fee-based technical support services. Details can be found at http://www.adobe.com/support/programs/.

Adobe Distiller Server software enables IT or creative professionals who generate high volumes of PostScript® files to convert them to Adobe PDF documents over a network.

The UNIX version of Distiller Server, designed for use by UNIX administrators, offers a command line interface and watched folder capability. It is designed to convert PostScript files to Adobe PDF and apply security features as specified by the administrator. This application has no graphical user interface, but it does offer many command line options and extensive help documentation that allows customization and automation via administrator-created Perl scripts. The UNIX version offers scalability for multiprocessor systems.The Windows® version offers Adobe PDF file creation from PostScript over an internal network and is deployed via watched folders. It offers a simple graphical user interface that administrators can use to set up and configure Distiller Server.

Distiller Server supports Microsoft® Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server® 2003, Windows Vista® Business or Enterprise, Solaris™, and Linux.

Distiller Server is available in English only; however, it can be licensed worldwide.

The product supports the PDF 1.7 specification. PDF 1.7 supports the use of XMP to store information about the file.

Adobe Distiller Server 8 streamlines archiving processes by automatically converting documents to PDF/A, the ratified ISO standard for long-term archiving of digital records.Distiller Server aids in the creation of PDF/X-3 and PDF/X-1a compliant files. In addition, job tickets communicating important processing information can be created in Portable Job Ticket Format (PJTF) and Job Definition Format (JDF) and included within a PDF file. Distillation time and image quality are enhanced with "pass-through" JPEG image compression.

Distiller Server is available through authorized resellers on a per-server basis in 100-user and unlimited-user versions. It is also available through Adobe Volume Licensing TLP and CLP programs. Visit the Adobe Volume Licensing pages for more information.