In general
up until copyright year 2003 the Interactive Chalkboard program was just being
used with math titles, no other subjects used IC. So up to this point they all behaved the same
which is you put the CD in and then browsed to the PowerPoint file that you
wanted to open.
Starting in
2003 we started seeing other editorial dept using IC, we started seeing IC’s
for science too. This is when the program first started being different. Some CD’s had a setup.exe program, which all
this does is put a shortcut under Start/Programs, and some CD’s didn’t. But in either case you still had to click on
the PowerPoint file, from the CD, that you wanted to open.
In 2004 and
recent 2005 copyrights, that I have seen, the program continues to have
differences and I have seen a new one used with 2004 World Language
titles. It is named Powerteach Interactive
Chalkboards and I have seen it for 2004 Buen Viaje.
Here are
specific IC’s that I viewed recently and some things I observed.
Science Level Red/Blue/Green dated 8/04 – Doesn’t install anything. You browse to the CD and open the chapter
folder. If a customer states movie doesn’t play you can have them open the CD, open
the specific chapter folder and click on one of the media files. On this CD I found both .avi files and .swf
files. If the media file doesn’t play then we know it’s not because of trying
to access the file through the PowerPoint presentation. It probably has to do with which program on
their computer is specified to open .avi or .swf files.
Windows XP:
I didn’t experience any problems on my XP machine.
Macintosh OS 9.2 and 10.1. I had difficulties
with some of the media files. The .avi
files worked fine on both OS. However I couldn’t get the .swf files to play on
either OS. I made sure my Mac had the
latest QuickTime and Shockwave Flash player installed and still couldn’t get
the .swf files to work. In the program
there is even a button, on the screen where you view the .swf file, which reads
“Mac OSX customers click here”, which I did and I got the same error message as
when I tried to play the .swf file by itself outside of the Powerpoint slide.
Buen Viaje – Powerteach IC – dated
8/04- Doesn’t
install anything. You browse to the CD
and open the chapter folder. If a customer states movie doesn’t play you can have
them open the CD, open the specific chapter folder and click on one of the
media files. On this CD I found .mpg
files. If the media file doesn’t play then we know it’s not because of trying
to access the file through the PowerPoint presentation. It probably has to do with which program on
their computer is specified to open .mpg files.
Windows XP:
I didn’t experience any problems on my XP machine.
Macintosh OS 9.2 and 10.1. – I didn’t experience any problems.
BDOL dated 9/04 - Doesn’t install anything. You browse to the CD and open the chapter
folder. If a customer states movie doesn’t play you can have them open the CD, open
the specific chapter folder and click on one of the media files. On this CD I found only .avi files. If the
media file doesn’t play then we know it’s not because of trying to access the
file through the PowerPoint presentation.
It probably has to do with which program on their computer is specified
to open .avi files.
Windows XP:
I didn’t experience any problems on my XP machine.
Macintosh OS 9.2 and 10.1. – I didn’t experience any problems.
Algebra Concepts and Apps. dated 1/05- It installed and put a shortcut under
Start/Programs. Uses start.pps file to launch the PowerPoint
presentation. Even though it
installs you need the CD inserted to run the program. No media files.
Windows XP:
I didn’t experience any problems on my XP machine.
Macintosh OS 9.2 and 10.1. – I didn’t experience any problems.
Chemistry Concepts and Apps. dated 1/05 - Doesn’t install anything. You browse to the CD and open the chapter
folder. If a customer states movie doesn’t play you can have them open the CD, open
the specific chapter folder and click on one of the media files. On this CD I found only .mpg files. If the media
file doesn’t play then we know it’s not because of trying to access the file
through the PowerPoint presentation. It
probably has to do with which program on their computer is specified to open .mpg
files.
Windows XP:
I didn’t experience any problems on my XP machine.
Macintosh OS 9.2 and 10.1. – I didn’t experience any problems except that the CD is
missing an installer for Microsoft Viewer 98. If customer needs it they can
download it for free from Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e25cb1e5-209c-4a58-b283-23e84b616477&displaylang=en
Advanced Mathematical Concepts dated
4/05 – It copies everything
to the hard drive and you don’t need the CD inserted to run the program. Puts a shortcut under
Start/Programs. No media files.
Windows XP:
I didn’t experience any problems on my XP machine.
Macintosh OS 9.2 and 10.1. – I didn’t experience any problems.