Like most, I had made Acrobat my default for PDFs because everyone suggested it. I didn’t challenge the suggestion because I never had any complaints, so there was never a reason to. I wasn’t shopping for a replacement when I started using Stirling PDF. I installed it on my home server as an impulsive act of self-hosting energy. But once I started using it, I didn’t even notice I hadn’t opened Acrobat in a while. In the process, I realized I didn’t just replace Acrobat but also accepted the cost that came with it.