Point-and-Read Talking Browser: webmasters

Point-and-Read^® Talking Browser

Webmasters

As a webmaster of a site, you might want to place a click-able Point-and-Read logo on some of your pages -- a logo that links to our download page. Placement of our logo is simple to do, by inserting two lines of HTML. However, it requires that you contact us first so we can review your site. We will see if you are eligible for free or reduced cost services. We like to donate the use of our icon to non-profit groups such as Accessible Knowledge.

The Point-and-Read logo, when clicked, takes the user to a page explaining what the Talking Browser is, and how to get it for free on the user's computer.

When you place the icon on your pages, your site will be added to our list of Point-and-Read-enabled sites.

What the icon looks like:

How it works:

The icon is simply an image link to our download page, containing parameters that specify the page (title and url) that the visitor has been viewing. This information is passed to our server for click tracking, as well as to instruct the Talking Browser which page to display first when it is installed. That way, the visitor will be able to continue surfing with Point-and-Read from the page on your website where they clicked on our logo.

Two methods to add the icon to your site:

A. The first is the easy way, using a two-line JavaScript statement that we provide. By simply adding this JavaScript to your page where you want the icon to appear, the web page will display our icon with the correct parameters. Image alt text is automatically provided, and you never need to worry about modifying it.

(Note, however, that this method requires the visitor's JavaScript to be enabled. If it's not, they will only see a plain hyperlink.)

You determine which icon variation you wish to use by varying which script name you type. Here are the possible variations alongside the complete code needed to insert them:

	`<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" SRC="http://www.simtalk.com/talkingbrowser/tbicon120x60.js"></SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT><A HREF="http://www.simtalk.com/talkingbrowser">Click to learn about the Point-and-Read Talking Browser</A></NOSCRIPT>`
	`<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" SRC="http://www.simtalk.com/talkingbrowser/tbicon130x40.js"></SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT><A HREF="http://www.simtalk.com/talkingbrowser">Click to learn about the Point-and-Read Talking Browser</A></NOSCRIPT>`
	`<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" SRC="http://www.simtalk.com/talkingbrowser/tbicon130x40B.js"></SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT><A HREF="http://www.simtalk.com/talkingbrowser">Click to learn about the Point-and-Read Talking Browser</A></NOSCRIPT>`
	`<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" SRC="http://www.simtalk.com/talkingbrowser/tbicon60x60.js"></SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT><A HREF="http://www.simtalk.com/talkingbrowser">Click to learn about the Point-and-Read Talking Browser</A></NOSCRIPT>`
	`<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" SRC="http://www.simtalk.com/talkingbrowser/tbicon88x31.js"></SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT><A HREF="http://www.simtalk.com/talkingbrowser">Click to learn about the Point-and-Read Talking Browser</A></NOSCRIPT>`

B. The second method is not automatic, but fully hard-coded. The disadvantage is that you must write each occurrence of the icon to have the correct parameters. Also, if we need to change the image file name, alt text, or calling convention, then a manual edit of your page is necessary.

The code to use is:

<A HREF="http://www.simtalk.com/talkingbrowser/iconclick.php?path= url of your page, in escaped characters &title= title of your page, in escaped characters " TARGET="_BLANK"><IMG BORDER=1 SRC="http://www.simtalk.com/talkingbrowser/tbbanner120x60.gif" ALT="Click to learn how to install the Point-and-Read Talking Browser and have it read this web page aloud to you."></A>

For the other icon variations, simply substitute the names "tbbanner120x60.gif", "tbbanner130x40.gif", "tbbanner130x40B.gif", "tbbanner60x60.gif", or "tbbanner88x31.gif" accordingly.

Making it look good on your page:

If you want to build a space around the icon to pad it, or to reserve space for the icon, you can use a table. To do this, wrap whichever icon code you chose in a table, like this:

<TABLE WIDTH="width in pixels" HEIGHT="height in pixels"><TR><TD> Your icon code </TD></TR></TABLE>

Telling your visitors about it:

You might want to add a simple explanation about the download link and what our software can do. Here is an example:

Now our pages will talk to you!
Our website is now speech-enabled with Point-and-Read® software. It is free and easy to download. Once you have installed it, all you have to do is move your mouse over the text and Point-and-Read® will begin speaking.

For more information and to download the software, click on the hand pointing to a book.