Windows

Intel 1.5 GHz Pentium M Centrino (minimum), Intel 2.0 GHz Pentium 4 M (recommended)

Windows XP - Professional Operating System

512 MB of memory (minimum), 1 GB (recommended)

40 GB hard drive (minimum), 60 GB hard drive 7200 RPM (recommended)

802.11 b wireless networking option (minimum), 802.11 b/g (recommended)

Combo CDRW/DVD drive

NIC or Network Interface Card (for on campus housing)

Video Card

Macintosh

G4 Powerbook laptop (12", 15", or 17") or

G5 iMac or G5 Desktop with 17"-20" monitor, 1.8 GHz G5 (minimum),
2.0 GHz G5 (recommended)

512 MB of memory (minimum), 1 GB (recommended)

60 GB hard drive (minimum), 80 GB 7200 RPM hard drive (recommended)

Combo CDRW/DVD drive (minimum), Super drive (recommended)

Computer Purchases

Educational discounts are available to USCB students, faculty and staff from several vendors. Please click here to see more about the offers that are going on now.

Internet Service

USCB recommends securing a Cable modem or DSL Connection; Dial-up connections are not recommended. Dial-up Connections may disconnect with periods of inactivity which would break a test session in Blackboard. Dial-up also has inconveniently long download time.

Web Browser

You must have a Web browser installed on your computer. Microsoft's Internet Explorer 5.5 (or higher), Netscape 6.0 (or higher), or Mozilla Firefox will work. The Web browser available from AOL will not work with the USCB class management system.  USCB recommends Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher with all security patches and updates installed, Cookies Enabled, Java enabled, security set on Medium.

Internet Explorer
Mozilla Firefox
Netscape  

Plug ins for Web Browser

To properly view all of the Web-based materials (lessons, assignments, discussions, and testing) required, you will need to have the appropriate plug ins for your browser. You can find these plug-ins below.

Java
Quick Time
Macromedia Flash
Shockwave
Real Player 
Adobe Acrobat Reader

Utility Software

Many downloadable files come in compressed form. Most common forms are .ZIP. To uncompress these files, you will need the proper utility installed on your machine. For Windows, the recommended utility is WinZip.

WinZip

Antivirus Software

USCB policy requires that you keep up-to-date virus software on your computer at all times. If you do not currently have virus protection installed on your computer, click here to download McAfee anti virus software free-of-charge for faculty, students, and staff.

Spyware

Spy-Bot
 

Visit the USC Columbia Virus website for more information.

Should you need assistance contact the Information Commons help desk:

Phone: 843-208-8278
Email: donnam@sc.edu
Location: Information Commons                                                            (South Campus Library)