What are the technical requirements for using the eLearning system?
If you have a Windows computer less than 8 years old or a Mac less than 5 years old, and your computer is capable of running a modern web browser it will work. Most users have an adequate computer and sufficient network connectivity to use the UNI eLearning system. There is a client Java requirement but the system will warn users if they don't have the required Java installation when they attempt to use a tool that utilizes a Java applet. Here are the officially supported client configurations:
Blackboard™ Learn Release 9 Service Pack 9 was tested with a variety of platform technologies as well as common client-side technologies.
| Certified: fully tested and supported. Compatible: partially tested but should function properly. Unsupported: either impossible or not tested. Provisional: (Client Technologies ONLY) future technologies considered supported by Blackboard Support. |
Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
| Internet Explorer 9 | Internet Explorer 8 | Firefox (Final Release Channel)* | Firefox 3.6 | Google Chrome (Stable Channel)** | |
| Windows® XP (32-bit) | Unsupported | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible |
| Windows Vista® (32-bit) | Certified | Compatible | Certified | Compatible | Compatible |
| Windows Vista (64-bit) | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible |
| Windows 7 (32-bit) | Certified | Compatible | Certified | Compatible | Certified |
| Windows 7 (64-bit) | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible |
Apple® Mac OS® Operating System
| Safari 5.1 | Safari 5.0 | Safari 4.0 | Firefox1 (Final Release Channel)* | Firefox 3.6 | Google Chrome (Stable Channel)** | |
| Mac OSX 10.5 "Leopard" | Unsupported by vendor | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible |
| Mac OSX 10.6 "Snow Leopard" | Certified | Certified | Compatible | Certified | Compatible | Certified |
| Mac OSX 10.7 "Lion" | Certified | Unsupported by vendor | Unsupported by vendor | Certified | Unsupported | Certified |
1 Firefox 8 and Mac OS are not compatible with the drag and drop functions on Blackboard Learn.
*The Firefox Release Channel is the fully tested version by Mozilla and intended to be the most stable. This channel is updated roughly every 6 weeks.
**The Chrome Stable Channel is the fully tested version by Google and intended to be the most stable as the name implies. This channel is updated roughly every 2-3 weeks for minor releases and 6 weeks for major releases.
- Accessibility and JAWS: Blackboard strives to make all its products as accessible as possible. JAWS for Windows 11 and 12 were used during testing for SP9.
- JRE Support: Blackboard Learn requires that lastest version of Sun JRE 6 or JRE 7. The JRE can be downloaded from http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html.
- Java Applet Code Signing: Java applets bundled with Blackboard Learn 0.1 SP9 are now signed with a timestamping authority. This certifies that the Blackboard code signing certificate was valid at the point in time when the applet was signed. Web browser client JDKs that trust the timestamping authority wil run the applets without error, even after the Blackboard code signing certificate expires. All JDKs since version 1.5 trust this timestamping authority by default.
Technologies Not Supported
The following technologies are not supported:
- Internet Explorer 6,7
- Firefox 1.x, 2.0, 3.0, and 3.5
- Safari 2.0, 3.x and any version on Windows
- Mac OSX 10.3, 10.4 "Tiger"
- Java 5, although it may continue to work