Author: Fred Page 3 of 10

The only certified and supported browsers for Blackboard include Firefox 4.x (Mac and Windows), Internet Explorer 8 (Windows), and Safari 4 and 5 (Macintosh only).  We typically recommend people to use Firefox with UR Blackboard because we have seen the least number of issues with that browser and often works as an alternative browser when someone has technical difficulties with IE or Safari.  However, Firefox 4 is not yet certified for Blackboard so please continue using Firefox version 4.x .  We will post updates as browser compatibility information is updated.

Did you upgrade and need to go back a version? Use the following links to download previous versions:

IE 8 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/internet-explorer/downloads/ie-8

Firefox http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html (there is no link to versions 4.x, but 4.x is compatible with Blackboard)

UPDATE: the maintenance has been completed, and UR Blackboard is again available.

If you are now checking Blackboard availability and you still get an outage page, please force your web browser to refresh the page (Ctrl-R key combo on Windows and Command-R combo on Mac for most browsers).  If you are still unable to reach UR Blackboard, please temporarily try another web browser and/or computer because there is most probably something on your computer preventing it from accessing the live server.

Original Message:

There will be a UR Blackboard outage scheduled for this Friday at 10PM that should last approximately 1/2 hour.  This will update server firmware, necessary for continued operation.  If you are checking Blackboard availability after 11PM Friday night and you still get an outage page, please force your web browser to refresh the page (Ctrl-R key combo on Windows and Command-R combo on Mac for most browsers).  When in doubt, visit the UR Blackboard news site for an update when services have been restored.

In preparation for the Blackboard 9.1 upgrade in August 2010, UR joined a cohort of other schools planning their upgrades.  This cohort helped each other manage the planning, implementation, documentation, training, and troubleshooting of the upgrade.  It should be noted that these upgrades cannot be perfect, and complex software will usually have some level of bugs, but the active and open process that is meant to further the tools for teaching and learning while minimizing negative experiences is paramount.  To that end, Blackboard corporate posted articles about the usefulness of the cohort program including one about the UR process.

Blackboard service was restored at 1 AM, about three hours earlier than expected.  Please remember that Blackboard is unavailable every morning for approximately 15 minutes somewhere between 3 and 4 AM, and that will happen this morning (Friday, March 11) as well.Please stay tuned for information regarding the bugs that have been patched in this version of Blackboard.If you remain unable to access Blackboard, please try refreshing your web browser, emptying its cache, trying another web browser and/or manually entering the URL (http://blackboard.richmond.edu ) .  If none of that works, please try another computer that you are sure has Internet access.  Please contact blackboard@richmond.edu if the problem lingers.

The UR Blackboard system will be unavailable for approximately 9 hours beginning Thursday night at 7 PM until Friday morning at 4 AM as Information Services performs maintenance upgrades to the system. The maintenance will fix a number of the issues that some faculty and students are currently experiencing with UR Blackboard. However, it will not add features or change the user interface.  Please visit this new site for updates and a list of the updates.