WebCT Vista has been retired as of June 30, 2008.

LATTE is now Brandeis University's only online learning environment.
Log into LATTE here.


As of Summer 2008, all courses at Brandeis now use LATTE. If you are an instructor who previously used WebCT and have questions about your WebCT course content, please contact LATTE Help at (781) 736-5883 or latte@brandeis.edu.

For those getting started in LATTE, Library & Technology Services offers regular workshops and assistance at the Faculty Resource Center. 

WebCT Vista: Browser Tune-up

WebCT is course management software used here at Brandeis to supplement the traditional classroom experience with online components and materials. Brandeis faculty and students can use WebCT Vista through Spring 2008. If your class uses WebCT Vista, your computer should be "tuned-up" to meet the following requirements.

Browser Requirements

To access your course, you'll need a computer with an internet connection and a web browser. Library & Technology Services recommends using Internet Explorer 6.0, Netscape 7.x or Mozilla Firefox 1.0.x, because they handle the JavaScripting built into the WebCT application well.

WebCT Browser Compatibility Check

When you are logged into a WebCT course, you can click on the "Check Browser" button in the top menu bar to verify that your web browser is compatible with WebCT.

See whether your browser will work on WebCT Vista.

What's My Browser?


The table that appears below lists the information about your web browser and computer platform. Please note that Win32 as a platform indicates you are running a Microsoft Windows computer, while MacPPC indicates you are running a Mac.


If a table does not appear above that lists "Browser Name," "Platform Name," and "Browser Version," you are not allowing JavaScript to run on your machine. To enable JavaScript in your browser, please click on the icon of the browser you normally click to access the Internet:

Mozilla's Firefox
Mozilla's Firefox.
N.B., Below version 1.0.1 is not validated in Vista.		 Microsoft's Internet Explorer
Microsoft's Internet Explorer.
N.B., The version numbers are different between a Mac and a PC.
Netscape's Navigator
Netscape's Navigator.		 Mac's Safari
Mac's Safari.

Is Java enabled on my browser?



You will need to have the Sun Microsystems Java Runtime Environment (JRE) software version 1.4.2_06 (1.5.2 or higher recommended) software installed in your browser in order for certain areas of WebCT Vista to function properly.

Open this pop-up window to see whether you are running Sun JRE version 1.4.2 or higher.



First step: tune up your browser



WebCT's browser tuneup guides you through making the minor adjustments needed to make Vista work on your machine.

To access the browser tuneup, please go to http://www.webct.com/tuneup


Second step: uninstall and reinstall Java


If you continue to have trouble with Java, and have run through the WebCT tuneup, we've found that uninstalling and reinstalling the Java software helps.

For those using a Windows computer, and would like to roll back to an older version of Java, please click on the image below to download and install Sun Microsystems Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE) software version 5. (Clicking on the link will direct you to the Sun Microsystems site to download the J2SE Runtime Environment [JRE], an application that allows you to run Java applications on your computer through your web browser.)

java_blue_88_31.gif

For posterity's sake, the *.exe file for people using Microsoft Windows XP has been saved here.

For Mac users, please go to http://www.apple.com/java/ to download the latest version of the Java Runtime Environment.

Alternately, you may wish to go directly to the Sun Java site to follow their three-step process to download, install, and test the browser plug-in. To do so, please follow the instructions posted here: http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp


Enabling Javascript in your browser



Mozilla's Firefox Mozilla's Firefox browser

On a PC, please follow these steps

  1. From the Edit menu, select Preferences
  2. In the left-hand pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Advanced, and select Scripts & Plug-ins
  3. Under Enable JavaScript for, make sure the Navigator checkbox is selected.
  4. Under Allow scripts to, make sure the following checkboxes are selected, if shown:
    * Move or resize existing windows
    * Hide the status bar
    * Change the status bar text
    * Change images
    * Create or change cookies
    * Read cookies
  5. Click OK


On a Mac, please follow these steps

  1. From the Firefox menu, select Preferences
  2. In the left-hand pane, select Advanced
  3. Make sure the Enable Java checkbox is selected
  4. In the left-hand pane, click the arrow next to Advanced, and select Scripts & Plug-ins
  5. Under Enable JavaScript for, make sure the Navigator checkbox is selected
  6. Click OK




Microsoft's Internet Explorer Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser

On a PC, please follow these steps

  1. Select Tools then choose Internet Options. The Internet Options screen appears.
  2. Select the Security tab.
  3. Click the Custom Level button. The Security Settings screen appears.
  4. Scroll down to Scripting, and enable Active Scripting and Scripting of Java Applets.
  5. Click OK. The Internet Options screen appears.
  6. Click OK.

On a Mac, please follow these steps

  1. From the Explorer or Edit menu, select Preferences
  2. Select the arrow next to Web Browser to expand the options
  3. Select Web Content
  4. Under Active Content, select Enable Scripting.
  5. Click OK




Netscape's Navigator Netscape's Navigator browser

On a PC, please follow these steps

  1. From the Edit menu, select Preferences
  2. In the left-hand pane, click the arrow next to Advanced, and select Scripts & Plug-ins
  3. Under Enable JavaScript for, make sure the Navigator checkbox is selected.
  4. Under Allow scripts to or Allow webpages to, make sure the following checkboxes are selected, if shown:
    * Move or resize existing windows
    * Hide the status bar
    * Change the status bar text
    * Change images
    * Create or change cookies
    * Read cookies
  5. Click OK

On a Mac, please follow these steps

  1. From the Edit menu, select Preferences
  2. In the left-hand pane, click the arrow next to Advanced, and select Scripts & Plug-ins
  3. Under Enable JavaScript for, make sure the Navigator checkbox is selected.
  4. Under Allow scripts to or Allow webpages to, make sure the following checkboxes are selected, if shown:
    * Move or resize existing windows
    * Hide the status bar
    * Change the status bar text
    * Change images
    * Create or change cookies
    * Read cookies
  5. Click OK




Mac's Safari Mac's Safari browser

Please follow these steps:

  1. From the Safari menu, select Preferences
  2. In the top pane, select Security
  3. Next to Web Content, make sure the Enable Javascript checkbox is selected
  4. Close the pop-up window.
This page was last modified on: May 30, 2007