Common Plug-ins

Real Player - streaming audio and video 

"Streaming" means that you can hear the audio or view the video (e.g. a newscast or radio station) as it is downloading over the Internet. Before, you would have to wait until the entire file was downloaded to your computer (which can take a long time because sound files are quite large). 

Download it: Real Player Download 

Try it out: NetRadio Network Home Page - Whether you like classical, country, rock -n- roll, or a little of everything, you'll find a station here for you. 

Shockwave - interactive multimedia 

Shockwave lets you view CD-ROM-like multimedia applications on the Internet. You can play games, work with simulations, view animations, and more. 

Download it: http://www.macromedia.com/shock wave/download/ 

Try it out: Macromedia Shockrave - A collection of cartoons, games, animations, and videos created for Macromedia's shockwave plug-in. 

Adobe Acrobat Reader - "camera-ready" documents 

Acrobat Reader lets you view documents created in Portable Document Format (PDF). This format retains the document's formatting regardless of computer platform or monitor resolution. PDF documents can be viewed and printed on any computer platform. 

Download it: Adobe Acrobat Free Reader 

Try it out: About PDF - examples from education, government, business, and more. 

Quicktime - Video, 3D, and Virtual Reality 

With the Quicktime plug-in you can view video clips (such as movie trailers) and explore three-dimensional environments. Unlike streaming video, Quicktime requires that you download the entire file before you can play it. 

Download it: Downloading from QuickTime 

Try it out: QuickTime Plug-in Sample Web Site 

The Master Internet Volunteer Program was developed by the University of Minnesota Extension Service and was adapted for use in North Dakota with permission. Copyright  © 2001  North Dakota State University. All rights reserved.