Engineering Mechanics of Solids:
Setup

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In order to use this electronic textbook, you will need to configure your browser to handle the display and execution of several media types. From the main "table of contents" page you can use three different types of materials:

Full text

The full text of each chapter of the electronic text is accessible in an Adobe PDF formatted file. To read the full text files you will need the Acrobat Reader application or browser plugin. See "Checking whether the Acrobat reader is configured," below, for information on configuring your browser.

Interactives

Many of the textbook chapters have "Interactives," separate PDF documents with additional information on particular topics in that chapter. Each Interactive document also contains links to web sites with related information, and to software tools to help you explore topics from the chapter. Many of the software tools require enabling Java in your web browser. See "Checking whether Java is enabled," below for help configuring your browser.

Real Tools & Data

These are direct links to Java applications to help you explore specific topics from the chapter. You must have Java enabled to be able to use the tools. See "Checking whether Java is enabled," below for help configuring your browser to use Java.

Checking whether the Acrobat Reader is configured

MIT users on Athena:

The IS-supported version of Netscape should be configured by default to display PDF files.

MIT users:

IS supports Acrobat on campus. Detailed information on installation, configuration and other issues is online at:

http://web.mit.edu/is/help/acrobat/

Non-MIT users:

Adobe maintains Acrobat reader information in its Support Knowledgebase for various platform/browser combinations:

Internet Explorer and AOL on Windows: http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/98fe.htm
Netscape on Windows: http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/78c6.htm
Internet Explorer on Mac OS: http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/93f2.htm
Netscape on Mac OS: http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/8d56.htm

Follow the link from the button at right to download the free PDF reader:

Checking whether Java is enabled

MIT users on Athena:

To check whether JAVA is enabled on Netscape on Athena, choose the menu item Edit, and then Preferences. On the "Preferences" window, select the heading "Advanced" (not the + box next to it) and then click the "Enable Java" checkbox in the dialog area that appears.

All other users:

Depending on the way you downloaded and configured your browser, you may or may not have JAVA already installed on your computer. Most newer versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape will notice when you attempt to use a JAVA applet, and ask if you want to install it. Once installed, you may also have to edit your preferences to enable JAVA to run.

In Netscape: choose the menu item Edit, and then Preferences. On the "Preferences" window, select the heading "Advanced" (not the + box next to it) and then click the "Enable Java" checkbox in the dialog area that appears.

In Internet Explorer: select the menu item Tools, then Internet Options. Select the Security tab. In the "Security" display, select "Internet" for the "web content zone" and then select the "Custom Level..." button. In the "Security Settings" popup box that appears, scroll down until you see the heading "Microsoft VM" and "Java Settings" headings. Select the radio button next to "High Safety." Then click OK until all the dialog boxes go away.

Copyright 2002, Louis L. Bucciarelli Jr.
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