Microsoft® Windows® Operating System

Apple® Mac OS® Operating System

1Firefox ESR is a release of Firefox intended for groups who install and maintain the desktop environment in large institutions. More information is available at http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/.

2The Firefox Release Channel is the fully tested version by Mozilla and intended to be the most stable. This channel is updated roughly every six weeks. More information is available at http://blog.mozilla.com/blog/2011/04/13/new-channels-for-firefox-rapid-releases/.

3The 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.More information is available at www.chromium.org.

4Firefox 8 and Mac OS are not compatible with the drag and drop functions on Blackboard Learn.

Notes:

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

Other Support in SP 11

Accessibility and JAWS
Blackboard strives to make all its products as accessible as possible. JAWS for Windows 11 and 12 were used during accessibility testing in SP 11.

JRE Support
JRE (Java Runtime Environment) is not required for users to access and interact with the Learn platform with the exception of the following features and tools:

• Learn collaboration tools virtual classroom and chat
• Multiple-file uploads
• Math equation editor
• Default text editor shipped with Learn 9.1 SP9 and earlier

Apple supplies its own version of Java. Java version 7 is not compatible with Chrome on MAC OS.

Blackboard has tested and supports these features with version 7 JRE. JRE 6 may work, but could result in unexpected behavior. The JRE can be downloaded from http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html. Windows system administrators who want to provide auto-download for users can find the.cab file link for the appropriate JRE at http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/autodownload-140472.html.

For information on security and JRE, see this Blackboard Security Advisory.

Java Applet Code Signing
Java applets bundled with Blackboard Learn 9.1 SP 11 are now signed with a timestamping authority, https://timestamp.geotrust.com, which 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 will 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.