We recommend that you use the latest version of Netscape Communicator, or Microsoft Internet Explorer. Download plug-INS, players and viewers, be sure you have the right technology at your fingertips. This includes a good Web browser and appropriate plug-ins.

Plug-ins, Players and Viewers

Browsers also use plug-ins and other helper applications to help them display Web documents. If you encounter an element (such as video or animation) that requires one of these helpers, you may see a message that your browser isn't equipped for that content type. Viewers are required to display certain files formats, such as a PowerPoint slide show. These are common plug-ins, players, and viewers that are used on the Web in general, and that may also be used in this course. We recommend that you download all of them.

Adobe Acrobat Reader is free, and freely distributable, software that lets you view and print Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files.

Apple QuickTime player is for viewing video in Apple's QuickTime format. It works with over 30 audio, video and image formats.

Microsoft Office Converters and Viewers is for sharing your Microsoft Office files with people who have versions of Office programs different from your own, or even with people who don't have Office at all.

Converters enable you to open files created by people using different versions of your Office programs. Find the appropriate converter for the version of the Office program on your computer.

Viewers enable people who don't have Office programs to see your work. Simply provide them with the appropriate viewer along with your files.

Macromedia Shockwave and Flash is for viewing interactive content in various Macromedia formats.

Real Player is for streaming audio and video content. Click on “Free Real Player on the top right hand side of the page (under the text Free Games). On the second screen, click on “Download Real Player – Free” to download the free player. You should not have to provide any information or subscribe to download the player.

Java is for downloading and running Java applications from the web. The Collaboration Tools in Blackboard are Java applications. You need the plug-in to join a collaboration session. See instructions on Student page in the Blackboard website. To install Java from your computer, go to Java and click on text “Java Software Download” at the top of the page.

WinZip is a software program that compresses file size. To open a file that has been compressed (file with a .zip file extension), you need WinZip software. To open a zipped file, open the file, click on AGREE and click on your file in the WinZip window.