Plugins Help

Why Plugins?

The Dataface site contains multimedia components that some visitors may not encounter frequently, and some visitors may not be familiar with the procedures for enabling their browser to present these components. This page offers suggestions for enhancing browsers with plugins to take full advantage of the multimedia elements on this website. Microsoft's Internet Explorer® browser handles most of these formats without modification, except for MPEG, for which an additional plugin may be required. Mozilla® browser requires installation of additional software. The first consideration is whether you have the latest version of your favorite browser installed. Since most browsers are either "free" or have a nominal upgrade cost, start by installing the most recent version for your system before you begin the plugin quest. The plugins to obtain allow a browser to handle sounds and videos "in-line" without calling an external helper application.

Here are the links to obtain the latest browsers:

Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE)

Running under Windows operating systems, recent versions of the IE browser should play all the multimedia on this site, with the possible exception of MPEG videos. If IE does not play MPEGs in the browser's windows, try updating Windows Media Player by using Microsoft's Web site. Another solution is to install Apple Computer's QuickTime viewer using Apple's Web site. Either of these options is "free" and both provide satisfying results. The situation of IE running under Apple's operating systems has not been evaluated.

Netscape/Mozilla

Mozilla, an open source product of mozilla.org, runs under Windows, Linux, Macintosh, and other operating systems. Netscape is a variant of Mozilla that is produced and distributed by AOL. Netscape and Mozilla distributions handle plugins similarly. Mozilla either tries to play multimedia in the appropriate helper application (external program) or ignores the multimedia, unless you have installed plugins. Mozilla has a special page for plugin support with links to the software.

For Windows users, Mozilla browsers should handle the audio on the DataFace site without further enhancement, but Mozilla requires additions to play the videos. Some of the same plugins that can play this media under Linux might be used (see below), but probably the best choice is Apple's Quicktime Player.

For Linux users, Mozilla requires a "supervising" plugin to enable other plugins to play multimedia "in line" and there are two choices: Plugger, an old standby, or the newer derivative Mozplugger. In addition, you need to acquire the plugins that actually present the multimedia. A plugin for .wav sound files, .avi video, and MPEG video are needed to play all the multimedia on this site. Suggestions are listed on the Web sites for these products.

Mozilla for Macintosh users has not been evaluated.