Old clips to PDF?

For those of us who still have photocopies of stories we've done -- and no access to digital versions of those stories (don't work at that place anymore) -- what's the best way to convert those into handy PDF files?

Is there readily available software to do this on a home PC? Does it matter if you use Windows or Apple? Can you take the paper clips into a place like Kinko's and get that done? Sorry if this is remedial stuff. I just never expected to have to start seeking new employment in related fields, and need some of the older clips to attach with newer stuff.

Thanks. PMs are good, too, if you'd rather keep your job search expertise under wraps.

 

Yeah... if you have Photoshop program (Full blown, Elements, etc...) you can save your image as a PDF. Or you can buy Acrobat and do the same thing.
If you're really cheap and have a specific time set aside where you can get them all done ina short period of time, download a trial version of Acrobat or Photoshop, do all your work and then uninstall the program.
You can get versions of the program cheap on ebay... I think I paid like 40 bucks for Elements and 60 for Acrobat Standard.

 

I've been into Kinko's a bunch of times over the last several months to turn clips into PDFs. Works like a charm.

Now I just need to get a scanner here so I don't have to spend money there.

 

Last time I tried to copy one of my clips at a Kinko's, they refused to let me...talked about copyright infringement or some shit. A damn-solid argument ensued that ended with me pulling a bunch of their knick-knack stuff off the hooks so it landed on the floor on my way out.

 

And then you turned over and burned a Kinko's company van, right?

 

Hell no. I was busy running from the mall cop.

 

This guy is pretty quick.

 

I've had good luck getting clips scanned into PDFs at Kinko's ... and I've also had them pull the copyright infringement crap, too. Depends on how anal the clerk is, I guess.

You can get pretty cheap (as in, less than $100) photo scanners or 3-in-1 printers at places like Sam's Club. If you think you'll use the scanner for more than just this job search, that can be a pretty good investment. Then just use the Adobe programs Slappy mentioned to save it as a PDF (or download CutePDF for free off the 'Net and save 'em that way.)

 

if you have documents scanned in already or have a scanner at home, no need to buy photoshop -- you can get a couple cheap pdf conversion programs (deskpdf, cutepdfwriter) for about $30 that also give you a set amount of trial conversions (i think it's 10 for deskpdf). at kinko's, they have a similar program on their computers.

 

So, how did you get around that? Or, what argument would you use?

 

Thanks all for the lightning-quick replies.

Now if only our job searches went as quickly. :-\

 

When this instance comes up, I often think about a writer also being the publisher.

"Sir, you can't do that here. Copyright infringement."

"But I'm the author."

"Well, you don't own the work."

"No, but I'm the publisher."

Makes me smile, for some odd reason.