Programs
There are a number of programs you will need to familiarize yourself with for this class. Please note that all of the
downloads we suggest are free, but some have paid versions or advertisements on the same page. Please make sure you
are only downloading the free version, as you do not need any paid features for this course.
Below is a list of programs and where you can download them from.
- Replit
- Browsers
- Spreadsheets
- Optional: Drawing apps
Video Summary
Repl.it
A text editor is simply a program that is used to edit text files. While most computers come with a default text editor, there are better editors with features that will help you work faster and with less headache, such as highlighting and autocomplete. In this lab, we will be using Replit Teams for writing and submitting the first four weeks of labs.
Replit is an online only option, which means there is no download. However, you will need to create an account to use it.
Replit has mostly the same capabilities that a downloaded program would use, and even features a built-in preview screen. However, you need to stay
online to use it, and if your connection is bad you may have some difficulty with load times.
Replit can be accessed through their website https://repl.it/
In order to access the Replit Teams labs, you will need to join the team using the link found on URCourses.
Internet Browser: Mozilla Firefox
While everyone may have their own favourite internet browser, we strongly encourage you to use Mozilla Firefox in this course.
Not only is it the browser the markers use, but other browsers like Chrome and Edge are known to not display certain
exercises we do in the labs properly, which is generally very confusing on the student.
Firefox can be downloaded from the website https://www.mozilla.org/en-CA/firefox/all/#product-desktop-release
Spreadsheets: Microsoft Excel
We will learn about spreadsheets as our second topic after HTML. While there are other programs, we will only be using
Excel in this class. If you have an office subscription and have access to the Excel app, feel free to make use of it.
If you don't, don't worry: There is a free version of Excel that has all the features you need for this class. All you
will need to do is create a Microsoft account if you don't already have one.
The free web version of Excel can be found at https://www.office.com/
Optional: Drawing Apps
While you are not required to create all your own pictures on the assignments, many students find it easier than finding and citing images. You can use whatever drawing programs you like, but here are a couple easy options:
Microsoft Paint
Either paint or paint3d comes for free on most Windows computers. You can use either one: regular paint tends to be a little simpler to use, but paint3d still has all the same features.
For Macs: Paintbrush
Unfortunately, most Macs don't actually come with a built-in drawing app. A good option that works very similar to MS Paint is called Paintbrush.
It can be downloaded from the website https://paintbrush.sourceforge.io/