EOU Blackboard System Requirements

Hardware Requirements

These requirements refer specifically to your computer hardware. Remember, it is OK if you satisfy or exceed the “Recommended” settings. “Minimum requirements” are meant for basic use of Blackboard. If you require any additional plug-in software applications, always check with the appropriate vendors as the “minimum requirements” may change.

You should also check with your instructor for any other hardware/software requirements specific to your course. Remember, always be prepared for your online class before it begins for the best learning experience!

Browser Requirements & Settings

You need a web browser to access Blackboard. We recommend an up-to-date, popular browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE), Netscape Navigator, Mozilla, or Safari as your standard web browser for Blackboard.

For Windows platforms, use MSIE version 5.5 SP2 or 6.0 SP 1 and above, Netscape Navigator 7.0 and above, or Mozilla 1.3 and above. For Macintosh users, use Safari 1.0 and above, Netscape Navigator 7.0 and above, or Mozilla 1.3 and above. In general, just about any up-to-date browser should work; but if you run into problems, you might try another browser. Get more information on which versions of web browsers are certified by Blackboard.

There are 3 important settings for your web browser that must be enabled in order for you to use Blackboard. All these 3 settings can be easily configured by choosing the Medium Security Level (default setting).

Blackboard requires the Java Virtual Machine version 1.4.1 and higher from Sun Microsystems. You can obtain this free software from Sun's Java web site.

Conduct a browser test for Java to determine what version of the Java VM you currently have on your system. (Clicking on this link opens a new window for the Sun Java test site. You may need to scroll down and bit, and look for “Test your JVM.” More information is given on that page.) If this test does not execute, you probably do not have the current version of the Java VM or need to change your Web Browser's Security settings.

Browser Plug-ins

For some courses, you may be required to have one or more of these plug-in application programs. Generally, plug-in software should already be present on your computer. However, we recommend that you verify that (1) you have these plug-ins installed & configured on your web browser, and (2) you have at least the minimum required version for each plug-in.

Vendor	Plug-in Name	Required Version	Test	What you should see	Download Link
Adobe	Acrobat Reader)	5.1 +	Test PDF	A PDF document, “Welcome to Blackboard!” will open. If you do not have the plug-in, the file may download, but will not open. You may be asked to select an application to open the document.
Apple	Quicktime	6.3 +	Test QuickTime	A movie about Koko the gorilla will open in a new window or QuickTime Player. If you do not have the plug-in, the file may download, but will not open. You may be asked to select an application to open the document.
Macromedia	Flash Player	6.0 +	Test Flash	The Macromedia web site will open in a new window. Read the instructions on that page to see if the Shockwave and Flash players are installed. You may be asked automatically to install the plug-ins.
Microsoft	Windows Media Player	9.0 +	Test Windows Media Player	A funny commercial in a bar, with great expectations. If you do not have the plug-in, you will receive an error or a download window will appear. Follow the instructions to install, if necessary.
	Note to Macintosh users: Microsoft will continue to offer Windows Media Player 9 as a free download for Macintosh users, but has no plans to provide future updates or product support for Windows Media Player for Mac. As an alternative, Microsoft has teamed up with Telestream to make its popular Flip4Mac program available to Macintosh users. Flip4Mac provides Windows Media video and audio playback in the QuickTime Player for Mac OS X. See http://www.microsoft.com/mac/otherproducts/otherproducts.aspx?pid=windowsmedia for more information. Once installed, use the "Test Windows Media Player" above.
RealNetworks	RealPlayer	9.0 +	Test RAM	A video of Douglas Engelbart giving the first public demonstration of the computer mouse concept in 1968. If you do not have the plug-in, an error message will appear, or you may be asked to download the software.
Sun	Java VM	1.4.1 +	Test Java	The Sun Java test site will open in a new window. You may need to scroll down and bit, and look for “Test your JVM.” More information is given on that page.

Remember, all these plug-in software applications are FREE downloads from the vendors. For installation assistance with these plug-ins, please contact the technical support of the respective vendors.

Firewalls

Many companies have firewalls installed to protect their networks and prevent unwanted installations of software and possible viruses. If you are having network connectivity issues with your Blackboard resources, we advise you first contact the Computing Help Desk at helpdesk@eou.edu or 541-962-3111 to determine if these issues are related to your firewall settings. You may also want to contact your network or system administrator for assistance as well.

Note: There are also software firewalls as add-on products or in Windows XP SP2. If you have installed such a firewall and are facing difficulties connecting to your Blackboard resources, contact your ISP or the manufacturer of your firewall to determine if your software firewall is causing these issues.

Pop-Up/Spam Blockers/Download Accelerators

If you have installed pop-up/cookie/spam blockers or a download accelerator (such as RealDownload) on your computer, you may experience difficulties connecting to Blackboard resources. Please contact the appropriate software manufacturer or the Help Desk to determine if such software could be the cause of your difficulties.

Email

Configure your email account with your web browser and you can then take advantage of sending email by clicking on email links within Blackboard. An example of an email link is helpdesk@eou.edu (i.e. if your email account is setup with your web browser, then clicking on this link will invoke your default email client).

For more information on setting up your web browser for email links, visit the Student Computing web site.

Virus Scanners

You should have anti-virus software installed & running on your computer when connecting to any EOU resources. Some of the most popular virus scanners include McAfee VirusScan, Symantec (Norton) AntiVirus, Command Antivirus, Virex, and Sophos Anti-Virus.

There are thousands of computer viruses today. An effective way to reduce any possible damage/harm to your files is to have a virus scanner configured on your computer to constantly perform background system scans. This requirement is for your own protection and for the protection of all Blackboard users. Also, one of the most common methods of passing a virus is through the sharing of files (e.g. via web sites, emails, floppy disks, ZIP disks, or CD-ROMs). Always be cautious of whom you are downloading files from, and verify downloaded files are safe first before opening them.

Microsoft Office Viewers

Microsoft offers free viewers for users to view documents created by the Microsoft Office product suite (i.e. Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint). Below are just a few:

• Microsoft Word Viewer 2003 for Windows
• Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer 2003 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel Viewer 2003 for Windows
  
• Microsoft PowerPoint 98 Viewer for Macintosh

For the full list of Microsoft Office Viewers & Converters, visit http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010449811033.aspx.

To create and/or edit Microsoft Office files, you will need the Microsoft Office suite (if you do not have this already, it is available for purchase from the EOU Bookstore for an academic price). If you already have an older version of a Microsoft Office product, you can download the free Microsoft Office Converters.

Getting Help

To obtain further assistance:

• Inform your instructor(s)
• Contact the EOU DDE office
• Contact the EOU Computing Help Desk
• Consult with your local Technical Support Representative (e.g. if you are accessing Blackboard from your company, this would be your local system administrator)

This web site is based on the original system requirements model developed by Kirti Doshi of the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota (http://www.stthomas.edu/tlt/support). It has been used with permission.