Additional Software
Some courses or programs may require additional software to perform various activities. You should check each course syllabus for specific requirements. Below is a list of common software along with some free alternatives.
Microsoft Office
The basic Office package, which includes Word, Excel and Powerpoint, is a required tool for online courses.
- Windows: version 2002 or higher
- Macintosh: version 2001 or higher
Webster faculty and students can purchase Microsoft operating system and software at low cost. For full details and to purchase software, please go to www.webster.edu/technology/microsoft
Important: There has been a recent issue revolving around backward compatibility and Office 2007 with previous versions. The newest version of Office saves files into the .docx format. If you encounter problems when trying to open these documents, follow this link to download Microsoft's compatibility filter.
OpenOffice
OpenOffice.org is a multiplatform and multilingual office suite and an open-source project. Compatible with all other major office suites, the product is free to download, use, and distribute.
OpenOffice includes:
- Writer – a word processor you can use for anything from writing a quick letter to producing an entire book.
- Calc – a powerful spreadsheet with all the tools you need to calculate, analyse, and present your data in numerical reports or sizzling graphics.
- Impress – the fastest, most powerful way to create effective multimedia presentations.
- Draw – lets you produce everything from simple diagrams to dynamic 3D illustrations.
- Base – lets you manipulate databases seamlessly. Create and modify tables, forms, queries, and reports, all from within OpenOffice.org
- Math – lets you create mathematical equations with a graphic user interface or by directly typing your formulas into the equation editor.