Say Klaus,
What new features in Acrobat5 do you consider worth the upgrade? I too am thinking of upgrading, but ver4 seems to be pretty stable.

Sheff,
Having Acrobat is just part of being in the business. Costs $$, we wish it was free, but at least now we can get things done. The irony for me is that my service bureau "extracts" an eps file from the pdf I give them. However, should I give them any type of eps file myself, things always go wrong.
Now, if you do get Acrobat, beware of Distiller and start out using the PDF Writer. Distiller can do most anything, but has been known to drive perfectly good designers to the verge of madness.
And you need to relax about Illustrator. Of course it doesn't work. NOTHING works! Xara crashes on me all the time. You just have to roll with things. You really want trouble, get on deadline. Then your HARDWARE starts to go.
Hang in there, guy. It will all be over in about a hundred years.

Rgds,,,,,,,,,,,,Tad...