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Web Browser Plugins

Click on the above image to get the latest version of Adobe's Acrobat free Reader and plugin.

I use this file format throughout my site. It's nice because it looks the same on Windows and Macintosh systems and you don't need to use Microsoft Word to see the file. Granted, it is a fairly large download (4 Mb and larger) but it is a very common file format across the web so it will be very useful outside my web site.

I use this format for documents that originate in a word processing application that wouldn't translate well to HTML like my syllabi and specially formatted data tables. I also use it for my homework solutions and lecture notes. After scanning in the hand-written pages, I paste the images into a word processing document and create the PDF file.

Files that end in the extension "pdf" (portable document format) are Acrobat Reader files.

Click on the above image to get the latest version of Apple's free QuickTime plugin.

I use quicktime movies for help videos and digitized video for some chemical reactions. The plugin and player work in Macintosh and Windows browsers.

Click on the above image to get the latest version of the free Chime plugin.

They do require registration to download their plugin.

This browser plugin is used in my Shapes' tutorial (CHEM 111 and CHEM 121 versions).

For the Macintosh, this plugin works in the Netscape v4.7x and iCab browsers. It does work in the Mozilla browser and I suspect it also works in Netscape 6.x but I have yet to install Netscape 6.x. If you are using that or the Mozilla browser, take the 3 files it installs in the Plug-ins folder that's in the Plug-ins folder of that browser (don't ask me... I didn't do it) and move them into the basic Plug-ins folder. Email me if you don't understand what I wrote! No guarantees that it will work in the Netscape 6.x browser. It does not work in IE v5 and greater which sucks.

For Windows, this plugin works in Netscape 4.7x and Internet Explorer up through v6. They say it doesn't work in Netscape v6.x. No clue how to tweak things to see if it'll work on the Windows platform like I did on the Macintosh. You're on your own.

Click on the above image to get the latest version of the free LiveMath plugin.

The plugin will work in Mozilla, Netscape (current and older versions), iCab, Opera (I think), and Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer for Windows v5.5 and higher needs an ActiveX version. Just follow the link and the instructions.

The plugin can be used to display special math notebooks (as I've done in the Kinetics tutorial) and it can be used to display embedded mathematical equations.

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Prior to 7/02, I had tried using a number of different ways to generate math equations dynamically in web pages. There are currently a number of ways to display on the web. Let's look at some of them.

1. One way is to use a word processing application and let your students download the file to their computer. This way not only depends upon the user having the application or one that will open the file but it's not interactive.
2. You could use the word processing application to generate a PDF file. This can then be viewed with the Adobe Acrobat browser plugin but it's not interactive.
3. You can create a file with mathematical programs and then direct the user to a free application that let's them look at the file. This is better but there a possible problem about cross-platform compatibility not to mention that the user doesn't actually interact with your web page but with a fixed file.
4. You can use an application will create files that can be viewed in a web browser with a special plugin. This is even better but there are problems not only with cross-platform use but between Netscape-style plugins or ActiveX-style plugins. This also inhibits dynamic generation of web equations.
5. Another way is to use HTML to write equations on-the-fly. This works but the output doesn't look as good like nice, typeset math equations.
6. Finally, there's MathML. This is like HTML but for math equations and this is where we're headed. As of 7/02 Windows browsers like Mozilla and Netscape v7 can read MathML enhanced pages. But it's not yet been implemented on the Mac (again, as of 7/02.

I tried for some time to go the browser plugin way but gave up in severe frustration. I was never able to come up with a method that would work not only on Windows and Mac but in both Netscape and Internet Explorer for both platforms. So, I've given up and resorted to using using HTML to format my equations. It's a pain but it works! On my to-do list is to work up quizzes using MathML. Here a some pages I have that use JavaScript to generate random math equations using HTML, tables, and cascading stylesheets- dimensional analysis quizzes, stoichiometry quizzes, and gas laws' quizzes.

Here are some links to companies that produce math formatting software.

• Design Science, Inc.: they produce the full version of MathType, WebEQ, and MathPlayer. MathType v5 for Windows will output equations in MathML but v3.7 for Mac will not. MathPlayer is Windows IE- only, however. WebEQ will produce MathML and it works on both Mac and Windows.
• MathSoft: produces Mathcad for Windows. It's been a few years since I've used it but it's a fantastic product. The latest version seems to be able to export in MathML.
• Theorist Interactive, LLC: they produce MathEQ which will produce equations that can be read with their own plugin among other formats but not MathML. They support both Mac and Windows.
• Wolfram Reasearch, Inc.: they make Mathematica which is a fantastic application for science. They do have an application coming up called Publicon which will output MathML. They support both Mac and Windows.
• IBM: they produce techexplorer and the professional version will work with MathML. They support both Mac and Windows.