Useful Tools

Plug-Ins

Some areas of the site-- and some sites we link to-- have multimedia components for which you need special browser plugins. Most recent browsers come with these plugins, but should you need them, they are easily downloaded from the sites below. Please note that these are all free plug-ins, but are sometimes offered alongside "special versions" that are available for a fee-- you do not have to use these versions to see out content. If you are accessing ARTSEDGE from a school or other network, you may have restrictions about what types of software may be downloaded; please check with your system administrator.

• Adobe Acrobat Reader allows you to view -- and easily print-- PDF documents. Our Cuesheets use PDF files to make for ease of printing, particularly in full color.
• RealPlayer "streams" audio and video files, so they do not have to download to your computer before playing. ARTSEDGE uses RealMedia to deliver its video content, such as Meet the Musicians in the NSO's Tour of Asia. The Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage uses RealMedia to deliver its nightly and archived performances.
• Shockwave allows visitors to experience interactive multimedia—including audio, video and animations—through a Web browser.
• QuickTime enables visitors to watch videos or view QuickTime VRs—"virtual reality" panoramic scenes.
  

 

Technical Tips
This site is best viewed with the latest version of either Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer.

Screen Size
This site is designed for screen resolutions of either 800x600 pixels or 640x480 pixels. Most newer monitors size 15" and up are pre-set at 800x600; users with older monitors or with a preference for large graphics will find their settings are 640x480. On a 800x600 screen, the graphics on most main navigation pages will fit in one screen without scrolling. On a 640x480 screen, text and graphics will appear larger but you may need to scroll to get the entire image.

To change your screen resolution, look for "Display" or "Monitors & Sound" in your Control Panel.

Font Size
The font on most pages in this site is set one step lower than the default on your web browser. The site is best viewed when your default font is set to "Medium" on Internet Explorer or Arial size 12 on Netscape Navigator. If your font size is set significantly larger or smaller than these, you may experience some distorted graphics. If you are having difficulty reading some of the smaller text, please increase the font size of your browser, by going to selecting "Edit" then "Preferences" in Netscape or "Tools" then "Internet Options" in MS Explorer.