I want to create a smaller PDF file from a Microsoft Word document. A first attempt turned my 508 kilobyte Word document into a 17.5 megabyte PDF file. Do you have a solution? Phil, Mui Wo DQ: I played with the file you sent to me and the results were exactly the same. But using other software, I was able to achieve a different result. I imported the Word document into Apple's Pages application then exported it as a PDF. The exported file was a more reasonable 500KB. Our initial attempts seem to point to a problem with the way PDF files are generated by Microsoft Word. There are plenty of websites that can convert your files for free. Search for 'Doc2PDF'. A good example is BCF Technologies' PDF Online ( www.pdfonline.com ). Those sites will send the PDF to you within a few minutes. There may be a size limit. If you are using Windows, you can download PDF995 ( www.pdf995.com ) for free and start converting. Sometimes I need to send large files and it can be difficult, due to a lack of space in inboxes or file-size limitations imposed by internet service providers. There are so many websites offering assistance. Which one should I use? And what should I do to ensure privacy? Name and address supplied DQ: You are right about the plethora of sites that promote the exchange of large files; there seems to be hundreds of them. There are two things you can do: try out a few and see if you like the way they work, or ask people for recommendations. Also look out for the various restrictions imposed. Some sites have a file-size limit while others restrict the length of time the files will be available. There are other considerations. It would be a good idea to think about the interface. Will grandma be able to navigate and download those high-resolution pictures of the children? Some sites may require a small payment but with so many others to choose from it should be easy to find a reliable free site. Try these two to get started: www.rapidshare.com and www.filesanywhere.com . If you want to ensure privacy you should encrypt your files before you upload them.