remier Award 2003: FAQ

This is the first installment of the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). We may have answered your questions here; if not, send email to help@needs.org

1. How do I run the Premier Courseware of 2003 under Windows?

Under Windows (2000/XP) you can access all of the Premier Courseware of 2003 through an AutoPlay menu that automatically runs when the CD-ROM is inserted in your CD-ROM drive. This AutoPlay menu guides you to the courseware and associated files. If your CD-ROM is NOT auto start enabled, or the menu does not open, you can execute the Autorun.exe file on the CD-ROM (D:\Autorun.exe - where "D:" is the letter assigned to your CD-ROM drive).

2. What version of Windows do I need to run the Premier Courseware of 2003?

The Premier Courseware of 2003 CD-ROM was tested and found to perform correctly under Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows XP Server 2003. While we did not test earlier versions of the operating system, such as Windows NT 4 or Windows 98, the courseware will likely perform correctly.

3. Why do I need Macromedia Shockwave 8.5 or later plug-in and how do I get it?

Electronics Curriculum requires you to have the Macromedia Shockwave 8.5 and Flash 6 or later plug-ins installed with your web browser to use this courseware. You can download the latest free Macromedia Shockwave players/plug-ins directly from Macromedia at http://sdc.shockwave.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?&P5_Language=English.

4. Why do I need Macromedia Flash 6 or later plug-in and how do I get it?

Both Electronics Curriculum and WSDOT-Pavement Guide Interactive require you to have the Macromedia Flash 6 or later plug-in installed with your web browser to use this courseware. You can download the latest free Macromedia Flash players/plug-ins directly from Macromedia at http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash.

5. Why do I need a Java virtual machine to run J-DSP?

J-DSP is a set of Java applets that require a Java virtual machine to run properly. Before launching J-DSP, the courseware will provide you with the opportunity to link to Sun to download the latest Java virtual machine at http://java.com/en/index.jsp (Windows-only). If you are a Mac user you can download a current Java virtual machine directly from Apple at http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120209.

6. I'm experiencing problems running J-DSP under Windows and I have a current Java virtual machine installed.

During judging we noticed that in some cases more than one Java virtual machine was installed on our Windows-based test computers. Please check to ensure that you have a current version of the Java virtual machine and that you only have one copy of a Java virtual machine installed on your Windows computer. If you are still experiencing problems, contact the author directly.

7. Can I run the Premier Courseware under Mac OS?

We have made every effort to enable Mac users to view and run the Premier Courseware of 2003 (the Premier Award staff uses Macs exclusively as our desktop computers). However we have noticed a number of problems with the CD and it's contents.

Under MacOS 10.0-10.2.8r you can access the Premier Courseware by executing the appropriate files directly from the CD-ROM. It is strongly recommended that you use Internet Explorer to use this courseware (our testing has shown problems using Apple's Safari browser).

Under Mac OS 10.2.x we have seen erratic Finder behavior --in some cases directories are not visible and in some cases files are not visible. If you are running these versions of Mac OS X and you are experiencing problems running the Courseware, we suggest that you eject the CD and reinsert the CD to see if this clears up the problem.

Under Mac OS 10.3 we have been unable to get the Premier Courseware of 2003 CD to work at all. We theorize that changes Apple has made to the Finder and/or file structure are preventing the CD from mounting on the desktop.

8. Can I run the Premier Courseware under Mac OS 9 or earlier?

MacOS 9 users may be able to view/run portions of the Premier Courseware of 2003 but you will need to be able to view a Joliet-based (Windows-based with long file names) file system. Please install the Joliet extension found on the CD-ROM in the MacUsers folder to enable you to view the full contents of the CD-ROM and view/run the courseware. In testing we found that only J-DSP works reliably under MacOS 9. We encourage you to use a MacOS X or Windows based computer to use the Premier Courseware of 2003.

9. How do I run Electronics Curriculum under Mac OS X?

Under Mac OS X, for Electronics Curriculum, run Premier Courseware of 2003: Electronics Curriculum:www.academy.rpi.edu:projects:ccli:index.php.htm.

Note: You must have Shockwave 8.5 and Flash 6 or later installed to use this courseware.

Note: The CD-ROM based web pages were designed by the authors to primarily run under Windows, MacOS X users can access the modules, but will need to run the appropriate module_launch.php@modulesid*.htm file (where * is the module number from 1-27) in the same directory as index.php.htm.

10. How do I run WSDOT-Pavement Guide Interactive under Mac OS X?

Under Mac OS X, for WSDOT-Pavement Guide Interactive run Premier Courseware of 2003:wsdot_web:index.htm.

Note: you must have Flash 6 or later installed to view the courseware.

Note: The preferred operating system, as described by the authors, for the web pages is Windows. However through testing it appears that most of the courseware is accessible under MacOS X (using Internet Explorer), though some of the included applications will only run under Windows.

11. How do I run J-DSP under Mac OS 9 or X?

Under Mac OS 9 or X, for J-DSP, run Premier Courseware of 2003:J-DSP:index.html.

Note: You will need an up to date Java Virtual Machine to run this courseware. MacOS X users can use the System Preferences:Software Update feature to ensure they have the latest Java Virtual Machine from Apple.

If you have more questions, send email to help@needs.org.

If you'd like more information about the Premier Award or how to become a sponsor, please contact Professor Joe Tront at Virginia Tech via email at jgtront@vt.edu.

Sponsors:

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.



Autodesk, Inc.



Math Works, Inc.



Microsoft Research