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School of Pharmacy

UCSF School of Pharmacy

Additional Software Requirements Fall 2009

For students entering in other class years, see Additional Software Requirements.

Unless noted otherwise below, the following software is required for all students entering this year, and much of it is provided for free to you on CD-ROM at Orientation.

If you already have the computer you plan to use for school and you feel comfortable downloading and installing software from the web, we strongly recommend that you begin these important tasks as soon as possible to enable you to better focus on Orientation activities.

Some of the software downloads below can take a long time to download over a slow connection. If you have a slow connection, you can wait to install much of this software from the CD-ROM you'll receive for free at Orientation.

Software Application

What does it do?

Notes

Windows users must have the latest versions of both of the following browsers:

  • Firefox 3
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer

Mac users must have the latest versions of both of the following browsers:

  • Firefox 3
  • Apple Safari

Enables you to view and print web pages.

Some of our required software or web sites may be incompatible with your preferred web browser or operating system. When this happens, you'll need to install a compatible browser and use it only when you need to use that particular software or web site.

We encourage you to become comfortable using more than one web browser.

The latest version of any one of the following:

  • Adobe Reader
  • Adobe Acrobat Standard
  • Adobe Acrobat Pro
  • Adobe Acrobat Pro Extended

What's the difference?

Enables you to view and print PDF files, which are files that let you view and print a file exactly as the author designed it, without needing to have the same application or fonts used to create the file. Learn more: Adobe Reader.

Adobe Reader is available as a free download:
Download Adobe Reader

The latest versions of both of the following:

  • Adobe Flash
  • Adobe Shockwave

Enables you to view and interact with multimedia creations.

Both are available as a free download:

Sophos Anti-Virus
(UCSF site license version)

Protects your computer from computer viruses.
  • UCSF provides this software to you at no charge. You'll receive it on CD-ROM at Orientation, so you must wait until then to install it.
  • If you already have anti-virus software on your computer, we recommend that you wait until you have received your software CD-ROM at Orientation to uninstall your current anti-virus software and install Sophos instead. Sophos will protect your computer for your entire stay at UCSF at no charge whereas other anti-virus software applications will require a new subscription each year at about $40 per year.
  • If you don't already have anti-virus software on your computer, we recommend that you install and use Grisoft's AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition until we provide you with your software CD-ROM. You'll need to uninstall it before installing Sophos Anti-Virus when you arrive on campus.

The software firewall included with your operating system must be enabled

Protects your computer from intruders who exploit flaws in your computer's software to create annoyances or to steal or damage your data.

Details: Set up a firewall.

Sygate Firewall (Windows XP only)
(UCSF site license version)

Protects your computer from intruders who exploit flaws in your computer's software to create annoyances or to steal or damage your data. Sygate Firewall provides better protection than the Windows Firewall included with Windows XP.

  • UCSF provides this software to you at no charge. You'll receive it on CD-ROM at Orientation, so you must wait until then to install it.
  • If you already have a third-party software firewall on your computer, we recommend that you wait until you have received your software CD-ROM at Orientation to uninstall your current firewall software and install Sygate instead.
  • Sygate is available to Windows XP users only. If you have Windows Vista, the included Windows Firewall provides better protection than the one in Windows XP, and you do not need to install Sygate.
  • Sygate is available to 32-bit users only, and it is not compatible with 64-bit Windows XP. Do not install Sygate in 64-bit Windows XP. (If you don't know if you have 64-bit Windows XP, you most likely do not have it.)
  • Sygate is not available for Mac users.

Update: Thursday, November 5, 2009: Sygate is no longer available from UCSF, but if you have installed it from the Required Software cdrom from Orientation, you may continue using it until further notice.

Windows Defender (Windows only)

Protects your computer from intruders who exploit flaws in your computer's software to create annoyances or to steal or damage your data.

  • If you already have anti-spyware software on your computer, we recommend that you uninstall it and use Windows Defender instead. Having more than one anti-spyware program installed can cause system conflicts.
  • Windows Vista includes Windows Defender by default, so usually the only people who might need to install Windows Defender are Windows XP users.
  • Mac users are not required to have anti-spyware software at this time.

The latest versions of both of the following:

  • QuickTime
  • Windows Media Player (Windows) or Flip4Mac (Macintosh)

Enables you to play music, video, and other media files.

All are available as free downloads:

Questions?

Send e-mail to Web & Data Services Manager Frank Farm at farmf@pharmacy.ucsf.edu.

Go To: Computer Software Requirements or Computer Services or Information for Current Students

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