Software
Software for each of our courses is available in the lab for the specific course, however, if you are interested in having the same software at home, you may consider the software below.
In general, the following software will be used in all Computer Technologies courses:
- Windows 10 Professional
- HTML5 compliant web browser (Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Chrome, etc.)
- Microsoft Office 365
Online courses may have individual software requirements. Please contact your instructor if you have questions.
Software Available to Students
Microsoft Office 365
All current students at A-B Tech receive access to Office 365 using their A-B Tech username and password. Computer courses using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access) may require local versions to be installed for certain tasks.*
To access Office 365 for the first time:
- Visit Outlook Office 365
- Type in your A-B Tech student email address for your username (e.g. johnqstudent@students.abtech.edu)
- Type in your A-B Tech password (e.g. the one you use for WebAdvisor/Moodle/Self-Service)
- Log in
- Set your region to "United States and -5 East Coast"
Need help? Read our Office 365 Download Instructions.
Microsoft Azure Education Hub
The Microsoft Azure Education Hub provides access to Microsoft software and services. Your instructor will let you know what you need for a specific course. To access the Hub, please follow the steps below:
- Visit Azure Dev Tools for Teaching and click the blue Sign in button.
- Enter your school email and password.
- Once signed in, it should take you to the Student Verification page. Please enter your school email address twice and a verification link will be sent to your email.
- Copy and paste the link to a new tab then hit continue.
- Please agree to the Terms and Conditions.
After completing the above-mentioned steps, you should be able to access the Azure portal. If you were directed on the Azure Home page, please type in “Education” on the search box then select “Education Preview” from the search results.
Software for Specific Programs
IT: Network Management
Networking students can request access to VMware software.
IT: Software and Web Development
Web programming tools and technologies change often, and courses may require certain software tools. Please contact your instructor if you have questions.
- XAMPP - Open-source software. Includes Apache Web Server, MySQL, PHP, phpMyAdmin, CGI
- Coding tools - Many free options exist such as Notepad++, Brackets, Atom, Visual Studio Code, and others.
- Virtual Servers: Virtual computing servers are offered through the Virtual Computing Lab service of North Carolina State University.
- Others - As web development technologies and programming languages change often, other software may be used as needed for class projects.
Digital Media Technology
Projects in the Digital Media program rely on access to a number of software applications, most especially Adobe Creative Cloud. Speak to your instructor about software in specific courses.
- Adobe Creative Cloud - Includes many Adobe applications for design and development, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat, XD, Animate CC, Premiere Pro, Audition, After Effects, and more. A free Creative Cloud account is required to use the software at school. To download (and use at home) you must purchase an Adobe license for about $20/month. Adobe software is available in Haynes 104/115/216 as well as the back two rows of the Haynes 003 lab.
- Documents - Microsoft Office, Open Office, Google Docs, or equivalent
- Coding tools - Many free options exist such as Notepad++, Brackets, Atom, Visual Studio Code, and others.
- XAMPP - Open-source software. Includes Apache Web Server, MySQL, PHP, phpMyAdmin, CGI
- WordPress - Open-source website development platform
- Fonts - In order to use custom fonts on lab computers, Portable Apps must be used to load fonts.
- Others - other software tools may be used as needed in classes.*
- Online - online tools and services will be used when appropriate.*
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
All GIS classes use ESRI's ArcGIS. This software is provided through a 1-year Educational License by your instructor. This software will only operate under a Windows Operating System. The software will not run on a Mac OS unless you use Boot Camp and Windows 7 or a Virtual Machine and Windows 7.
*If you have questions about other software, please contact a faculty member or instructor in the related course.