If you want to read more about specific technical requirements, click on a topic below.
If your computer does not have the proper hardware, Blackboard 7.3 may run slowly or may not run at all. Prior to using Blackboard 7.3 on your computer, compare your current system configuration with the system requirements below.
| Windows |
Macintosh |
| Minimum System Requirements |
Minimum System Requirements |
Operating
System: |
Windows XP SP 2
(Home or Professional) |
Operating
System: |
OS X (10.2) |
| Processor: |
1 GHz |
Processor: |
G3 800 MHz |
| RAM: |
2.56 MB |
RAM: |
256 MB |
| |
|
|
|
| Recommended System Requirements |
Recommended System Requirements |
Operating
System: |
Windows XP SP 2
(Home or Pro)
or Windows Vista |
Operating
System: |
OS X (10.4) or OS X (10.5) |
| Processor: |
2 GHz or higher |
Processor: |
G4 1.25 GHz or higher |
| RAM: |
768 MB or more |
RAM: |
768 MB or more |
Once you have ensured that your computer has the proper operating system and hardware to run Blackboard 7.3, you should verify that your Internet connection is fast enough to support Blackboard 7.3. Online courses may require you to download/upload large files and often include streaming audio and video, both of which require faster connections.
- Check your Internet connection download and upload speeds using the connection speed test at http://www.pcpitstop.com/internet/bw.asp.
If your download speed results are 384 kbps or faster and your upload speed results are the same or higher than those listed below for your type of service, you should proceed to Web Browser Compatibility. If your download speed results are slower than 384 kbps and your upload speed results are less than those listed below for your type of service, please proceed to Step 2.
Here are some guidelines for upload speeds:
- Dial-up users can expect 40 kbps or lower depending on the quality of phone lines and modems.
- Cable modem providers often cap their customer's upload bandwidth at 128 kbps or 256 kbps, but if they don't it can be as fast as 1000 kbps.
- Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) users can expect 64 kbps to 1,500 kbps depending on the level of service purchased.
- If your Internet connection is slower than the recommended speeds listed in Step 1, you may still use Blackboard 7.3. However, you will encounter difficulties when loading pages, especially during peak usage times. You will also find that both audio and video playback can be very choppy. Additionally, downloading or uploading assignments may take a long time.
Blackboard has certified the following browsers for computers running Windows Operating Systems:
- Windows XP: Internet Explorer 6, Internet Explorer 7, Netscape 8.0, and Firefox 2.0
- Windows Vista: Internet Explorer 7, Netscape 7.1, and Firefox 2.0
We highly recommend that Windows users use Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox 2.0 to access Blackboard 7.3. We have consistently found that Firefox 2.0 users encounter fewer issues with Blackboard 7.3 than those who use other browsers.
Blackboard has certified the following browsers for computers running Macintosh Operating Systems:
- Mac OS 10.2 ( Jaguar): (Safari 1 is compatible)
- Mac OS 10.3 (Panther): Safari 1.2 (Firefox 1.5 is compatible)
- Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger): Safari 2 and Firefox 1.5
- Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard): (Firefox 2.0 is compatible)
A certified browser is one that has been fully tested and is fully supported by Blackboard 7.3. A compatible browser is one that has undergone limited testing.
If the computer you are using has a different browser than those indicated above, you still may be able to use parts of Blackboard 7.3. However, you may also experience problems, especially when completing quizzes and tests or using chat and the Virtual Classroom.
Blackboard 7.3 requires that your Web browser conforms to certain standards. If you have an out-of-date or unsupported browser, you will need to download either a certified version of your current browser or a different certified browser before attempting to log into Blackboard 7.3.
Note to America Online (AOL) users:
The AOL browser is not compatible with Blackboard 7.3. However, you can use your AOL Internet connection with one of the web browsers listed above for your operating system to access Blackboard 7.3.
Browser Configuration
Your browser must be configured properly as follows:
- JavaScript must be enabled.
- Cookies must be enabled.
- Pop-up windows must be enabled.
- Set Internet Explorer to Trust http://bb7pilot.ohio.edu/.
At a minimum, you will need three browser plug-ins to use Blackboard 7.3: Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash Player, and the Java Runtime Environment plug-in. (You may need additional plug-ins if the course you are taking includes multimedia elements.)
To download and install the current versions of Adobe Reader and Adobe Flash Player:
- Go to http://www.adobe.com/.
- Click the “Get Adobe Reader” button.
- Return to http://www.adobe.com/.
- Click the “Get Adobe Flash Player” button.
You will also need the correct version of the Java plug-in (note this is not the same thing as JavaScript). Blackboard 7.3 will not run properly if you are using an incompatible version of Java or if you have multiple versions of Java installed.
Boston University Online has an excellent tutorial that will walk you through the process of checking your version of Java and then updating and enabling it if needed. (The following links will open in a new window)
Windows users should go to:
http://www.bu.edu/webcentral/learning/vista/start/winxp-java.html
Macintosh users should go to:
http://www.bu.edu/webcentral/learning/vista/start/mac-java.html
Ohio University provides free virus protection software for student use – McAfee for Windows and Virex for Macintosh.
To download McAfee VirusScan for Windows, go to:
http://www.ohio.edu/software/mcafee.cfm
To download Virex for Macintosh, go to:
http://www.ohio.edu/software/virex.cfm
Many computers use a firewall to block harmful programs and data from their computers. However, firewalls are also capable of blocking certain aspects of Blackboard 7.3, so your firewall may need to be configured manually to allow Blackboard 7.3 to operate properly.
If you access Blackboard 7.3 from work (or a public library, community college or university), you may need to ask the technical support personnel for that organization to configure the firewall(s) that are between your computer and the Blackboard 7.3 server.
If you access Blackboard 7.3 from home and have a firewall installed, you may need to make changes to the firewall settings to allow access to Blackboard 7.3 at http://bb7pilot.ohio.edu/. (The default settings of the Windows and Macintosh built-in firewalls will not interfere with Blackboard 7.3.)
Ohio University subscribes to the Microsoft Campus Software program, which provides both the Windows and Macintosh versions of Microsoft Office to students at a very reasonable price ($70). Consequently, we recommend that you use the current version of Microsoft Office – Microsoft Office 2007 for Windows or Microsoft Office 2008 for Macintosh OS X.
For information about purchasing Microsoft Office 2007 for Windows, go to:
http://www.ohio.edu/software/office2007.cfm
For information about purchasing Microsoft Office 2008 for Macintosh, go to:
http://www.ohio.edu/software/office2008.cfm
Ohio University would like to recognize and thank Boston University Online for providing much of the content in this document. |