RTF is an export file format supported by many word processors and desktop publishing programs. It retains formatting that the basic text file (.txt) would lose.

The RTF file can be opened in applications such as MSWord, MSWordPad, Word Perfect, Notepad, OpenOffice, Google Doc, etc.

MSWord is the word processor used in this class. If you are using another program for your papers, please convert all documents to .rtf prior to turning them in electronically.

An RTF file will open like any other document produced in the word processor on your computer; however, the computer may not recognize the document.

• Make sure you download the document  into a folder where you can find it. (The desktop or your documents folder are usually easy to locate.)
• Open the word processor,
• Then use "File" and "Open" to find the file.
  • Once opened, you can save the file in any location in the usual form your word processor uses. (.doc, .wpd, etc)

The standard for internal documents at MSUM is Microsoft Word. Documents you send from other word processors may not be legible by your instructor.

Rather than require all students to purchase MS Office, any current word processing program can save your document as RTF prior to uploading. Simply select RTF or Rich Text Format from the normal file save window when you save the document.

PDF files are viewable and printable on virtually any platform. The software to create and manipulate these files can be expensive, but the software to read and print PDF's is free from Adobe, the manufacturer. This course will consistently use files in PDF format.

If you don't have the latest Adobe Reader on your computer, please go to the Adobe Reader site and click on the "Get Adobe Reader" button.

Many of the interactive exersizes and some of the information in the course are presented using Adobe Flash files. This is a common, universal system for short videos and simple games. If you do not have the most recent version of  Flash Player uploaded, you may not be able to use the exersizes, or you may miss some course information.

Please go to the Adobe Flash Player site and download the latest version.

• For Windows XP or Vista - - Click on "Recommended Download" or "Download Now."
• For Macintosh - - Click on one of the "Seattle" download buttons.

Other Internet videos may best be viewed in Quicktime.

Some aspects of this course will require the use of the International Phonetics Alphabet. For most of this, the site will use a coded form that can be read by web browsers. In those cases where you will be creating assignments, you will either be writing the IPA symbols by hand or copying some form of IPA symbols that are word processor compatible.

Although not absolutely required, it is greatly advantageous if your computer has a font capable of showing the International Phonetic Alphabet, so that you can simply type in the IPA symbol using a system of multiple key strokes. Some computers already have a font that reads IPA. The Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) has a number of fonts avialable. The Charis font has worked well and can be easily installed on most operating systems.

This font can be installed using standard font installation procedures for the given operating-system platform:

• Unzip the downloaded font.
• Windows: put the font in Windows\Fonts.
• Macintosh: put the font in /Library/Fonts.

There are no additional installation steps required to use Graphite-related functionality. Note that certain applications may not see the new font immediately; you may have to quit and restart the application for the font to become available.