The UHI Blackboard system requires that your browser be up to date and configured correctly. Use this page to check whether you have required plugins and features installed or enabled.
Quick check
Your browser
To view the different types of information on Blackboard coursesites, the following plugins and features must all be successfully installed or enabled:
| Cookies | |
| JavaScript | |
| Adobe (Acrobat) Reader | |
| Adobe/Macromedia Flash | |
| Apple QuickTime | |
| Windows Media Player | |
| Java | |
| Word, Powerpoint, etc. | not tested (see below) |
See "Install required plugin programs" below.
Some features of the Blackboard system (e.g. online quizzes and the collaboration tool) generate popup windows. If you have installed a popup blocker, it may interfere with your use of Blackboard.
Your instructor may require additional software as well.
Use the right browser version
Here are some more details about your software.
If the tests above reported that your browser was not compatible with Blackboard, you need to update your browser version. Blackboard officially certifies various browsers; see "Blackboard End User Configuration Matrix." However, we've found that the official Blackboard list is often outdated or wrong. As of August 2008, we recommend and attempt to support:
| Operating system | Hardware | Recommended Browser | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows XP (SP 3 is current) |
PC | MS Internet Explorer 7 Firefox 3.0 |
Firefox 2 works, but upgrade soon. |
| Windows Vista (SP 1 is current) |
PC | MS Internet Explorer 7 Firefox 3.0 |
Firefox 2 works, but upgrade soon. |
| MacOS 10.4 and 10.5 (Tiger and Leopard) |
Macintosh | Firefox 3.0 | Safari 2.0 and 3.0 mostly work. Upgrade Firefox 2. |
| Linux | any | Firefox 2.0 | Firefox 3.0 mostly works. Linux not supported but mostly works. |
In general, the latest version of your browser is usually the best.
 |
Both Mac and PC users can get the latest version of Firefox on the web at www.mozilla.com. |
It is also very important for both security and functionality that you update your system software (including Internet Explorer or Safari) regularly.
PC users: regularly visit Windows Update or set your system to automatically run Automatic Updates. To turn on Automatic Updates: (1) Click Start, and then Control Panel. Find "System," which may be categorized under Performance and Maintenance. (2) Click System, and then click the Automatic Updates tab. (3) Click the option that you want. Make sure Automatic Updates is not turned off.
Mac users: run Software Update... from the Apple menu. Mac users who are still running 10.3 or earlier versions of Mac OS should upgrade to Leopard (10.5).
Firefox configuration
Mozilla FireFox defaults are generally adequate for Blackboard. If you need to change them, most settings are on the menu item Tools→Options (on a Mac, Firefox→Preferences), under "Content". "Load Images", "Enable Java", and "Enable Javascript" should all be checked. If "Block Popups" is checked, then you should also click the corresponding "Allowed Sites" button and add "blackboard.uoregon.edu", since popup blocking can interfere with some blackboard features.
One annoyance with Firefox is that it makes it difficult to copy and paste from other documents into the visual text box editor. If you get an error message "your browser does not allow web pages to cut, copy, or paste", then instead of using CTRL-V or APPLE-V to paste, use the menu item Edit→Paste.
Internet Explorer configuration
Internet Explorer tends to cache pages too aggressively for Blackboard use. Try going to Tools→Internet Options and on the General tab click the "Settings" button (for "Browsing History" or "Temporary Internet Files"). Then make sure "Every time I visit the webpage" is selected for "Check for newer versions of stored pages".
If you need to enable cookies in Internet Explorer, choose Tools->Internet Options->Privacy. A setting of "medium-high" works well.
If you need to enable Java or JavaScript in Internet Explorer, first visit Blackboard to
find out what security zone your browser is using for the site; 
you are probably
viewing it in
the "Internet" zone (see the status bar footer at lower right of the
browser window; use "View->status bar" if necessary). 
You
may want to have security for the Internet zone set higher than
blackboard allows, and if so you may decide to set security for the
Internet zone to "High" but then tell your browser to view Blackboard
in a slightly less restrictive context. You would do so by adding the
URL "https://blackboard.uoregon.edu" to the list of "Trusted Sites" and
then would verify that the "Trusted Sites" zone was set appropriately.
To change the security level for the zone you are using for Blackboard, choose Tools->Internet Options->Security, select Internet or Trusted Sites, and choose an appropriate security level. Most users will find that the best security setting for Blackboard use is "Medium." If you really need a more restrictive security setting, start with "High" but then go to "Custom level" and make sure at a minimum that you have:
| Scripting -> Active scripting | enabled | |
| Microsoft VM -> Java permissions | high safety | |
| ActiveX -> Download signed ActiveX controls | prompt | |
| ActiveX -> Run ActiveX controls and plugins | enabled or prompt | |
| ActiveX -> Script ActiveX controls marked safe | enabled or prompt | |
| Downloads -> File download | enabled |
Many versions of Internet Explorer also include popup blockers -- you might have the google, AOL, Yahoo, or other popup blockers installed. If you get a "Pop-up blocked" message in the information bar (directly under the Address bar at the top of the window), click the information bar and choose "temporarily allow popups".
Install any required plugin programs
If you need to install any of the plugins listed above, you can download them FREE, directly from each software maker's website below. Please ensure that you have the CURRENT VERSION of each plugin below, or you may experience problems.
| Link to download | Plugin |
|---|---|
 |
Adobe
Reader
|
 |
Apple QuickTime After clicking, select the link to download the FREE player. We recommend QuickTime 7.5 or later for both Mac and PC. |
 |
Adobe Flash Player |
| RealPlayerŽ FREE | RealPlayer
We no longer recommend installing RealPlayer. If you want to install it, choose the link to "Free RealPlayer" (or "Get RealPlayer - FREE") then Basic Player. You don't want the "RealPlayer with SuperPass" version. Beware that for some platforms both versions are downloaded from the same link, but then you are offered a setup option; you want the free "basic setup" not the premium or "free trial" version. |
 |
Sun Java
|
|
|
Windows
Media Player PC only: WMP is normally installed automatically as part of Windows Update. We recommend WMP 10 or WMP 11. Mac: we recommend installing Windows Media® Components for QuickTime from Flip4Mac rather than WMP 9. |
Get programs for displaying Word and PowerPoint
Many courses post material in Microsoft Word format (files with names ending in ".doc") or as PowerPoint presentations (names ending in ".ppt"). To view such files you need software able to display Word and PowerPoint.
If you have Microsoft Office installed on your machine, then you should be able to view Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files stored in Blackboard. Depending on your browser configuration, such files will either be downloaded to your hard disk or displayed directly in the browser window. Most versions of Office are ok, including (for PCs) Office 2000, XP, 2003, and 2007, and (for Macs) Office X, 2004, and 2008.
If you don't have MS Office, then you need some other program to view these files (WordPad, built in to Windows, isn't good enough). For PC and linux users who don't have Microsoft Office, we recommend the free OpenOffice suite (downloadable, but also available on DuckWare). OpenOffice for Mac is currently in transition, with a usable version of OpenOffice 3.0 scheduled to be available for Mac users during September 2008. Many other possibilities also exist for both Mac and PC. For example, Mac users who own iWork (including Keynote) will typically find that it adequately handles most Office files.
An additional complication is that Microsoft changed their default file formats in Office 2007. If you receive a file with an extension .docx, .pptx, or .xlsx, it's in the new and incompatible Office 2007 format. Encourage the author to re-save it in the traditional Office format. If you are using a previous version of Office, you can also install a compatibility package that will allow your version to read and write most Office 2007 format documents. The compatibility pack is available from the Microsoft web site. You might also want to install the SUN ODF Plugin for Microsoft Office that allows you to read the word processor formats preferred by OpenOffice.