Software/Hardware Requirements for
No Escape: The Truth about Black Holes

Quick Index

Using the activity online

• Web Browser: Netscape Navigator 3.0/Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher
• Plug-ins: QuickTime
• Computers: Any system that can run Netscape Navigator 3.0 or Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher. Note that 68K Macintosh systems MUST use Navigator 3.0 and not a higher version.
• Operating Systems: Any system that can run Netscape Navigator 3.0 or Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0
• Hints and Tips: How to configure the browser.
• Troubleshooting: It's not working. What should I do?

Saving the activity to disk

• Not available yet.

Web Browser

This activity was designed for use with Netscape Navigator 3.0 (or higher) and Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 (or higher). Earlier versions of Netscape Navigator/Microsoft Internet Explorer will not work.

You must have both Javascript and Java enabled in your web browser for this activity to function correctly. If you have disabled these functionalities, the activity will become unusable.

The activity will partially work on WebTV, but many parts may appear distorted or not function correctly.

Netscape 3.0+ can be found at http://www.netscape.com/download/

Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0+ can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/

Plug-ins

Because this activity has some multimedia components , Apple's QuickTime is required to view parts of it, although many parts are useable without it. The QuickTime plug-in can be downloaded for free.

• To download Apple's QuickTime application, go to: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/

Computers

IBM compatible PC hardware requirements

CPU	486 or higher, any speed
Main Memory	Minimum: 8MB Recommended: 16MB
Operating System	Windows 3.1/95/98/NT
Display	Color required: Minimum 256 colors Recommended: 16K colors or better Configured for 800x600 or larger
Printer	None required, although recommended if the students will be asked to print out their essays.
Disk Space	Only that required by Netscape Navigator

Macintosh hardware requirements

CPU	Any that will support Netscape 3.0
Main Memory	Minimum: 8MB Recommended: 16MB
Display	Color required: Minimum 256 colors Recommended: 16K colors or better Configured for 800x600 or larger
Printer	None required, although recommended if the students will be asked to print out their essays.
Disk Space	Only that required by Netscape Navigator

Operating Systems

Most UNIX systems.

Hints and Tips

• Display should be set to 800x600 pixels or better.
• Make sure JavaScript and Java are enabled. To check in Netscape, do the following:
  1. Go to the Edit menu item.
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Click on Advanced
  4. Check Enable JavaScript and Enable Java

     JavaScript and Java must be enabled.

Troubleshooting

• Clear the cache.
  To clear the cache in Netscape 3.0+:
  1. Go to the Edit menu item.
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Click on plus sign next to Advanced
  4. Click on Cache
  5. Click on Clear Memory Cache
  6. Click on Clear Disk Cache
  7. Click on OK
  8. Try the activity again

   

• The screen comes up blank, or without navigation bars.

This is an unfortunate side effect that can occur at times. Simply close the Black Holes window and restart Black Holes. The problem will have been fixed.

• The roll-over images/text are not displaying properly.

When viewing these, make sure the page has stopped loading before clicking on anything. Wait for the status message "Document Done."

• Error Messages

  If you receive either of the following messages while using Microsoft Internet Explorer to view this activity, click YES or OK when prompted.

  1. "An ActiveX object on this page may be unsafe. Do you want to allow it to initialize and be accessed by scripts?"
  2. "Script error, continue running scripts on this page?"