Web Presentation Guide 5.1
Hardware and Software Requirements

Action
Minimize processing and storage demands on the user's workstation.

Why
Excessive use of client-side code can place high demands on a user's workstation, thus limiting access to Web-based services. Minimized use of client-side code provides user convenience and reduces compatibility issues.

What/How

• Keep demands on the user's workstation to a minimum.
• Alert the user to workstation requirements.
• Design your Web site or Web-based application to use plug-ins that require minimal workstation requirements.
• Use plug-ins that are free to the user.
• Clearly demonstrate how and where to obtain a plug-in.
• Test the Web page for compatibility with various workstation configurations, especially when the Java runtime environment is required.

Checklist: Hardware and Software Requirements

	Topic	Complete
a.	Keep demands on the user's workstation to minimum.
b.	Use plug-ins that are free to the user.
c.	Clearly demonstrate how and where to obtain the plug-in.
d.	Test the Web page for compatibility with various workstation configurations, especially when the Java runtime environment is required.

Resources:

List of Document Viewers	A list of Adobe, Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint viewers.
Netscape Browser Plug-ins	Netscape's official Plug-ins site that contains a variety of categories for developers and users
Macromedia Flash Player For Macromedia	Flash content embedded into a Web page
Java Software for Windows	The latest copy of the Java Virtual Machine

Related guide topics

• Browser Compatibility
• Performance
• Test User Environment
• Usability