1). Up-to-date Web browser. Internet Explorer version 5.5 or newer (6.0 is available) is recommended and available free from http://www.microsoft.com. Netscape Communicator version 7 (6.2 should be minimum) is recommended and available free from http://www.netscape.com. If you plan to use Netscape 6, please make sure that you upgrade to version 6.2 and read the WebTycho HELP information about the limitations. Use the "check browser" compatibility link on the main WebTycho login screen if you have not used your browser with WebTycho before.

2). Viewers. PowerPoint Viewer for Office 97 or newer is available free from Microsoft or from Dan's faculty web page, http://faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~dbennett/files. The PowerPoint Viewer (or full version) might be necessary to view the slide presentations created for sharing information. You will also need an Unzip (e.g., WinZip, WinRar, Unzip, etc.) program to reduce the size of files used in our class.. If you don't have an Unzip (decompress) program, see my homepage at http://faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~dbennett/files and retrieve the shareware program WINZIP for Windows and evaluate it. Alternatively, you can use FreeZip, also freeware. Another viewer that may be needed is the Adobe Acrobat Viewer, available from http://www.adobe.com for viewing PDF files.

3). PGP. Pretty Good Privacy version 6.5x or 7.0x is recommended and required for the successful completion of project #2. Either the International or U.S. version is acceptable and available from http://www.pgpi.com. Students have successfully installed PGP on Windows environments like Win98, WinME, Win2K, WinXP. If you are not able to install PGP onto one of these environments, then you will need to work with the PGP Solaris version on our "student server."

4). Ability to create GIF screenshots.. You must be able to create, display and share screenshots. You can use a freeware tool called HyperSnap (available on my web page at http://faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~dbennett/files) or use any equivalent method.

5) Qualcomm PureVoice. The Qualcomm PureVoice mail plug-in may be required or an equivalent program to create MP3 sound files. The software PureVoice is available from http://www.eudora.com and may be used to share "voice" attachments when mailing the instructor.

6). Up-to-date Virus scanner. This should be a standard program that you already own and use. We will be conducting our virtual classroom on the Internet, downloading and visiting many world wide web sites. This type of program is for your protection and I strongly urge you to be utilizing it appropriately to diminish the chances of your PC getting infected and you passing infections on to our virtual classmates (for which you could be additionally penalized). Most of you may be eligible to acquire your anti-virus software free from your military IT offices.. See the 5th Signal site on my faculty web site.

7) Online Library access.  Please contact our librarian, Denise Sokolowski (dsoko@ed.umuc.edu) if you are not able to access the Library resources from within WebTycho.  You need either your SSAN or a bar code to access this online library.  We will be reading materials from the databases there. If you have not taken the VLIB course, you should do so early in this course.
 

8) LINUX CD. A freeware Linux Compact Disc will be distributed for the asking from the DE Office. This CD will allow working with LINUX without actually installing the software onto a PC. If you have a version of LINUX (Red Hat, SuSe, Mandrake, etc.) already installed on a partition, this CD will be superfluous. Please make sure that your mailing address, registered with the DE Office is accurate to receive the SuSe LiveEval CD. Everyone will receive student accounts on a Solaris server to host their web site, but if you have access to your own Linux server, more individual options will be available to you for Project #3.