Top 5 Computer Plug-Ins

One of the most frustrating things about sharing the wonders of the Internet with kids is clicking on a button, link, or game and having a message come up that says you don't have the right plug-in (such as QuickTime or Shockwave), which means that you can't view or hear that bit of information or media. Worse yet is clicking on the link that will supposedly send you to the site where you can get the missing plug-in, only to find a list of plug-ins and not know exactly which one to pick. Or how about finding out that it will take 20 minutes to download a remedy? Well, as the old adage goes, "Forewarned is forearmed." Here's a list of plug-ins that should be on any Net-connected computer, complete with addresses of where to download them from for free.

Shockwave & Flash Players - Macromedia, Inc.
The Shockwave and Flash players allow you to play and view Shockwave and Flash interactive multimedia on the Web. More and more websites today require the Flash or Shockwave plug-ins, as do many educational media files age-appropriate games, animations, electronic cards, audio, video, and interactive storybooks-so make sure you and your kids can access them! Download Shockwave first, because a Flash Player is automatically included with any download of the Shockwave Player.

Real Player - RealNetworks, Inc.
Real Player plays certain types of video and audio files, as well as animations and multimedia presentations. The RealPlayer streaming file format also allows you to listen to sound files or see video files over the net (such as live radio broadcasts or TV Webcasts, such as Survivor clips) without having to wait for the whole file to download. You have to wait only a few seconds while a little bit of audio (or video) file information is "buffered" to account for lapses in network speed, and then the file begins to play.

QuickTime - Apple Computer, Inc.
QuickTime is Apple's technology (Windows and Macintosh) for handling video, sound, animation, graphics, text, music, and even 360-degree virtual reality (VR) scenes. Many websites now use QuickTime files to display videos or animated cards, so if you don't already have the QuickTime software on your system, it's worth while to take a few minutes to download and install it.

Acrobat Reader - Adobe Systems, Inc.
Acrobat Reader allows you to view, search, and print Portable Document Format (.pdf) files. Documents are often converted into the .pdf format to save disk space, or to make printing easier. Many government documents, such as tax forms or Department of Motor Vehicle forms, are in .pdf format. So are teacher materials, school forms, instructions, and bibliographies of sources. That means it's a good idea to have the Acrobat Reader available on your computer in case you'd like to read or print a .pdf file while surfing the net.

Other Useful Add-ons
It's good to at least be aware of these, as you may come across them from time to time.

Zip Files - are 'archived' files that are 'zipped up' (compressed) to save space and make downloading software and transferring e-mail attachments faster. For example, if you download files or software off the Internet, many times the files will be .zip files, so you will need to "unzip" them first in order to install the software. There are many .zip compression programs out there that will get the job done. WinZip (WinZip) or Stuff It (Aladdin Systems) (for Windows only) are the most popular, but you can find cheaper or even free versions of comparable software at places such as www.tucows.com (usually found under "Compression Utilities"). For Macintosh, try using Stuff It Expander (Aladdin Systems).

Java - is a type of Web-programming that allows you to experience interactive multimedia through your browser. Most browsers, such as Internet Explorer and Netscape are already Java-enabled, so nothing extra is needed. Nevertheless, it's a good idea to be aware of what Java is so that when you come across a site that says "Your browser must support Java to view this page" you'll be able to surf with confidence knowing your browser does support it.

Test Pages - If you think you might have some of these plug-ins already installed on your computer but aren't sure, you can visit the McMaster Plug In Test Page. Just click on the corresponding plug-in test and if the sample animation or test file 'works' on your computer, then you already have the plug-in and no longer need to fret over it. If, however, the test does not work properly, just click on the link to install it. Be sure and get the plug-in versions compatible with your operating system. The newer your Web browser, the better chance you already have some of the plug-ins, but even the most recent versions don't have all of what you need. You can also check out this Plug-in Gallery and Demo page, or Cnet Download for their comprehensive plug-in list, or you can go to Plugins.com and find good info there, such as a Plug-in Refresher and a Plug-In Guide. So go get plugged in!