Being able to print documents, web pages, anything to PDF format is quite handy to have in any computer. A PDF file is highly portable because it is generally smaller then the original file and works well within any operating system.
PDFCreator is an incredibly good open source tool to install on your Windows machine. It’ll create a new printer that you can use within any program, the output always being PDF files. So you’ll be able to convert any document to PDF easily. You can set your settings to compress images and text the way you want it, encrypt, and protect your PDF documents.
Its standalone unit will give you a nice overview of documents that are being printed and give you access to change main settings.
My printer now barely has any work to do. I print pretty much everything I need to a PDF format and send it through email or store important documents on my computer. As a tip, whenever you purchase anything online and you want a copy of the transaction confirmation, just print the page to a PDF format and store it on your HD. It’ll be there whenever you need it.