We venture to examine some of the criteria used to classify PDF to Word converters. The said PDF to word converters are programs designed to accept input files in PDF format, manipulate the data in such files, and ultimately give output files in Microsoft Word format. Their usage is usually necessary for among others, people who endeavor to edit or otherwise manipulate data contained in PDF files. Since there is very little one can actually do with the data in PDF files besides viewing it, it becomes necessary to perform conversion of the PDF files to an editable format (like the Word format in this case), before much can be done to the data in the files. Such conversion is performed using PDF to Word converters or the other way around with free doc to PDF. The converters in question are classified according to:

The source of the computing power they use. Under this criteria, we end up with some Internet based (online) converters and some local converters. The latter are installable programs, which are locally installed in their users’ computers. They subsequently use the computing power possessed by the processors of their users computers to perform the PDF to Word conversions. The online PDF to Word converters, on the other hand, are accessible through the Internet – being as they are, Internet-based applications. And just like any other Internet-based applications, they derive the computing power they use to do the PDF to Word conversions from the servers (big powerful computers) in which they are hosted.

The nature of conversions they perform. Under this criterion, we end up with some converters only capable of facilitating one-way (PDF to Word) conversions, and others capable of making reverse (Word to PDF) conversions possible as well. Majority of the programs are, to be sure, capable of doing conversions in both ways. But we have a few that are only capable of performing one way (PDF to Word) conversions. Noteworthy is the fact that several of these programs are also capable of converting the PDF documents to other formats – such as Excel if the documents happen to be spreadsheets.

The way in which they accept input. Under this criteria, we’d end up with some converters that accept input directly, and other that only accept input files (the PDF files) when the same are emailed into them. The latter category of PDF to Word converters naturally tend to be Internet-based, and the objective of the email submission is to get them into the servers hosting the PDF to Word converter applications, in order for the same process to take place. Those that are capable of taking input directly can, on the other hand, either be locally-installed or Internet-based PDF to Word converters. The most important thing with them is the fact that the input PDF files don’t have to emailed into them. They just need to be uploaded directly.

Their cost. Under this criterion, we end up with some converters available at a cost, and some few (PDF to Word) converters that are sold to the people who need to use them. In other words, the nature of the latter group of PDF to Word converters is such that you can’t use them unless and until you pay the necessary fees. It is, of course, noteworthy that majority of these converters are actually freely available, and those which are sold are in the minority.