Blackboard System Requirements:
 
Browser Requirements for Blackboard

Before starting to use Blackboard, it is highly recommended to check its requirements. Blackboard requires an Internet connection. In addition, it requires your browser to be configured with:

  • Javascript supported: Javascript is a computer language that runs in the web browser. Don't get this one confused with the computing language, Java.
  • Cookies enabled: Cookies are small files that hold information about the times and dates you have visited web sites, user preferences, and other information.
  • Pop-up Blockers disabled: Even though pop-ups can be an annoyance, services, such as Blackboard, require for them to be temporarily turned off. If you don’t want to continually turn them off and on you can add the URL for Blackboard to your list of allowable sites http://4learning.edisonohio.edu
  • Java enabled: Java is a computer language that can be used to program applications and applets.

Note: If you wish to use the chat feature (Collaboration), you need to ensure Java is installed on your computer. To download Java use the following links or the link inside the Collaboration area of Blackboard.

For PCs, Java software can be downloaded from:
http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp.

For MACs, Java software can be downloaded from:
http://developer.apple.com/java/download/.

System and Browser Compatibility Charts

End users must use a certified or compatible operating system and browser configuration with the Blackboard Academic Suite, Release 7.3. The Blackboard Learning System is certified to work on the browsers listed in the chart. The certified browsers are indicated with an X. In addition, compatible browsers are listed but have not been certified. Certified browsers have been thoroughly tested by Blackboard Quality Assurance and are 100% supported by Blackboard Product Support.  Compatible browsers have undergone limited testing and indicate that Blackboard is not aware of any issues involving that browser. Blackboard recommends that users adhere to the certified (indicated with a green checkmark) browsers and versions.

Certification is based on the operating system platform that you are using. First locate your platform and then review the configuration information.

Windows® Operating Systems

Mac® Operating Systems

2000

XP

Vista Desktop

10.2

10.3

10.4

Microsoft® Internet Explorer® Web Browsers

5.2

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

5.5

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

6

C

􀁄

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

7

N/A

P

􀁄

N/A

N/A

N/A

Netscape® and Mozilla® Web Browsers

NS 7.1

C

C

􀁄

C

C

N/A

NS 8.0

C

􀁄

P

N/A

N/A

N/A

Firefox 1.0

C

C

N/A

C

C

C

Firefox 1.5

N/A

C

􀁄

Firefox 2.0

N/A

P

􀁄

N/A

N/A

P

Web Browsers Apple® Safari®

1

N/A

N/A

N/A

C

N/A

N/A

1.1

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

C

N/A

1.2

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

􀁄

N/A

2

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

􀁄

                   

 

KEY

􀁄

Certified – fully tested and supported

C

Compatible – key application areas tested

N/A

Not tested – specified Browser is not supported for the Operating System

P

Provisional – will test on Beta versions of new platforms and browsers. Certification is dependant on release by 3rd parties

 * All configurations marked as Compatible have undergone a limited engineering analysis to test areas of the Blackboard Academic Suite that may have browser issues. Additional information on known browser issues may be found in the Knowledge Base.  

** Microsoft Windows 2000 supported configurations are considered compatible when run on Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows ME.

*** Gecko is the shared rendering engine at the heart of the Firefox 1.0, Netscape 7.1 and Mozilla 1.5 browsers, which are all considered compatible browsers. Only Firefox has undergone testing that qualifies it as Certified.

**** The Safari Web browser and the Gecko browsers for Apple do not currently fully support the Live Connect technology used by some features in the Blackboard Learning System. The Equation Editor, Collaboration tool and SCORM Content type may experience issues when these browsers are used. See the Knowledge Base articles 181-2429, 181-2428, 181-2431, 181-2432 for detailed information.

 *****The preview version of Mozilla Firefox (version 0.10.0) is not supported.

How do I determine my browser version?

Internet Explorer:

  1. From the Help menu, select "About Internet Explorer".
  2. Check the version and then click the OK button.

Netscape Navigator:

  1. From the Help menu, select "About Communicator..." (or "About Navigator...").
  2. Check the version and then click Netscape's "Back" button.

Mozilla

  1. From the Help menu, select "About Mozilla Firefox"
  2. Check the version and them click the OK button.

What about Opera?

Opera is currently not a certified or compatible browser. This means that Blackboard will not support this browser and offers no assurance that there are no issues involving its use.

What about AOL or MSN?

Currently, Blackboard is not designed to work with browsers like AOL or MSN. We strongly recommend that AOL or MSN users download a standard (or stand-alone) version of either Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Netscape.

In addition, you will need to perform the following adjustments according to your browser version:
 

Internet Explorer 5.x Enable Java
  1. Select Tools then choose Internet Options
  2. Select the Security tab
  3. Click the Custom Level button
  4. Scroll down to Java Permissions and choose either Low, Medium or High safety
  5. Click OK

Enable Cookies

  1. Select Tools then choose Internet Options
  2. Select the Security tab
  3. Click the Custom Level button
  4. Scroll down to the Cookies section
  5. Set Allow cookies that are stored on your computer to Enable
  6. Set Allow per-session cookies to Enable
  7. Click OK
Internet Explorer 6.x & 7.x Enable Java
  1. Select Tools then choose Internet Options
  2. Select the Security tab
  3. Click the Custom Level button
  4. Scroll down to Java Permissions and choose either Low, Medium or High safety
  5. Click OK

Enable Cookies

  1. Select Tools then choose Internet Options
  2. Select the Privacy tab
  3. Enable Cookies:
    • If using a default setting, move the slider to select any of the following privacy settings:
      • Medium High
      • Medium
      • Low
      • Accept all cookies
    • If using a custom setting:
      • Click the Advanced button
      • Select Override automatic cookie handling
      • Select Always allow session cookies
      • Click OK to return to the Privacy Tab
  4. Click Apply then OK


Firefox 1.x and 2.x Enable Java
  1. Select Tools then choose Options
  2. Select Content
  3. Make sure the Enable Java and Enable JavaScript boxes are checked
  4. Click OK

Enable Cookies

  1. Select Tools then choose Options
  2. Select Privacy
  3. Make sure the Accept cookies from sites is checked
  4. Click OK.
 

 

Netscape 7 & 8 Enable Java
  1. Select Edit then choose Preferences
  2. Select Advanced from the left-hand pane
  3. Make sure the Enable Java and Enable JavaScript boxes are checked
  4. Click OK

Enable Cookies

  1. Select Edit then choose Preferences
  2. Click on the arrow next to Privacy & Security in the left-hand pane and then select Cookies
  3. Select Cookies
  4. Select Enable all cookies under Cookies section.
  5. Click on Advanced
  6. Select Enable Java
  7. Double Click on Advanced to expand the menu.
  8. Click on Scripts & Plugins
  9. Select all options on this page.
  10. Click OK.


Macintosh:
 

You will need to perform the following adjustments:

 

Internet Explorer 5.x  Enable Java
  1. From the menu bar select Edit then choose Preferences
  2. Select the arrow next to Web Browser to expand the options
  3. Select Java
  4. Under Java Options select the option Enable Java
  5. Click OK

Enable Cookies

  1. From the menu bar select Edit then choose Preferences
  2. Select the arrow next to Receiving Files to expand the options
  3. Select Cookies
  4. Select the When receiving cookies option to Never Ask
  5. Click OK
Internet Explorer 6.x & 7.0 Enable Java
  1. From the menu bar select Explorer then choose Preferences
  2. Select the arrow next to Web Browser to expand the options
  3. Select Java
  4. Under Java Options select the option Enable Java
  5. Click OK

Enable Cookies

  1. From the menu bar select Edit then choose Preferences
  2. Select the arrow next to Receiving Files to expand the options
  3. Select Cookies
  4. Select the When receiving cookies option to Never Ask
  5. Click OK
Firefox 1.0 Enable Java
  1. From the Firefox menu, select Preferences
  2. In the left-hand pane, click Web Features
  3. Make sure the Enable Java and Enable Javascript checkboxes are selected
  4. Click OK

Enable Cookies

  1. From the Firefox menu, select Preferences
  2. In the left-hand pane, click Privacy
  3. To expand the Cookies section, click the arrow next to Cookies.
  4. Make sure one or both of the following checkboxes are selected:
    • Allow sites to set cookies
    • for the originating website only
  5. Click OK
Netscape 7.x & 8.0 Enable Java
  1. Select Edit then choose Preferences
  2. Select Advanced from the left-hand pane
  3. Make sure the Enable Java and Enable JavaScript boxes are checked
  4. Click OK

Enable Cookies

  1. Select Edit then choose Preferences
  2. Select the arrow next to Privacy & Security in the left-hand pane
  3. Select Cookies
  4. Select Enable cookies for the originating website only
  5. Click OK

 

Modem:   56 K

 

 

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