Technically, the standalone installer is a marvel of legacy engineering. It typically arrives as an executable named something akin to AcroRdrDCx64_en_US_2300820500.exe . Running this file triggers a multi-stage process:
When downloading software as ubiquitous as Adobe Acrobat Reader, most users are funneled toward the standard "web installer." However, for system administrators, power users, or individuals managing multiple machines, the (often referred to as the Offline Installer) is the superior choice.
In 2015, Adobe announced that it would no longer support Adobe Acrobat Reader for Windows and Mac OS X, and instead would focus on developing Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, a more comprehensive PDF reader that included additional features and cloud-based integration.