The following hardware and software is required to run the Learning Place tools/applications successfully.

Windows PC

• Operating system: Windows 95 or later
• Java enabled (Version 5 recommended)
• Javascript enabled
• Cookies enabled
• Active X enabled
• Monitor resolution 800 x 600 (minimum)

Macintosh

• Operating system: X 10.3.9 or later
• Browsers:
  • Safari 1.2 or later
  • Mozilla / Firefox 2 or later
  • Netscape 7.2 or later
• Java runtime environment SE 5(1.5) or SE 6(1.6)

Plugins

• Adobe® Flash® Player (Version 9+)
• Adobe Shockwave® Player (Version 10+)
• Apple Quicktime (Version 7+)
• Adobe Reader® (Version 6+)
• Windows Media Player (Version 9+)

Note: Microsoft has no plans to provide future updates or product support for Windows Media Player 9 for Mac OS X, but you can download Flip4Mac to play Windows Media files directly in QuickTime Player.

FOR MAC USERS ONLY

To utilise the full features of Blackboard it is recommended that you use the Firefox browser as Safari still has limited text editor functionality.

Known issues you may encounter include accessing the software and some functionality in Blackboard and the Curriculum Exchange resource centre (TLE).

Microsoft Vista users accessing Blackboard are unable to view WYSIWYG text boxes limiting their ability to key text into the text box. The current solution is to turn the WYSIWYG off.

1. From the Learning Place homepage, under the 'Quick start' menu select Blackboard logon.
2. Key in your Learning Place username (not your MIS logon).
3. Within the 'My eLearn' tab select Personal information in the 'Tools' box on the left.
4. Select Set Visual Text Box Editor Options.
5. Set the availability to Unavailable and Submit the page.
6. Select OK to return to your welcome screen.
7. Logout of Blackboard and close your browser.
8. Open a new browser and login to Blackboard.
9. The WYSIWYG editor is now turned off and is replaced by a text box where the user can key in text.

Read further about other 'known issues' in Blackboard at PCMag.com. Our recommendation is to avoid upgrading to Vista until Blackboard remedies Vista incompatibilities.

Some of our applications do not support Java 6 (especially TLE 2.6). It is recommended to uninstall Java 6 and go back to Java 5 for best compatibility with Learning Place applications.

The Google toolbar within Internet Explorer causes problems while accessing popup windows in the Learning Place Administration System (LPAS). For popup windows to work successfully in LPAS you will need to right click on your Google toolbar and turn the toolbar off.