Frequently-asked Questions (FAQ)

This page contains questions asked about WebbIE and other programs available from this site.

Some of my programmes (especially Radio 7) are missing from BBC Listen Again!

BBC Listen Again gets the available radio programmes available directly from the BBC Radio Player. If this is broken (for example, in July 2007 Radio 7 disappeared and an apologetic message appeared) then BBC Listen Again cannot present them to you.

Nothing plays in Accessible BBC Listen Again or Accessible BBC radio! What's wrong?

Both these programs require you to install a third program called RealPlayer before you can use them to get radio online. See the guide to getting RealPlayer.

WebbIE will not display the authentication dialogue I need to enter my username and password for a protected web site. How can I enter my details?

Check the Allow Popups menu item in the Options menu. WebbIE will now display messages and authentication dialogues: this includes messages that will ask you to install software, some of which may be malicious (e.g. spyware) so do exercise caution.

WebbIE does not make any sound! Why is it not speaking to me?

WebbIE does not self-voice: that is, it relies on you having your own screen reader to do the speaking. We work on the assumption that screen reader users want to keep using their familiar and powerful screen reader, rather than learn a new audio interface. We therefore try to create a very standard, screen-reader neutral interface that will work with most screen readers. If you don't have a screen reader at all, or are not a screen reader user, you have two choices:

1. You can get the free Thunder Screenreader, a fully-featured screen reader which works with all the applications.
2. You can try using Narrator, which is the free screen reader built into Windows 2000 and XP. If you press the Windows and U keys together, or go Start > All Programs > Accessories > Accessibility > Narrator, you'll be able to use WebbIE through that. If you want a self-voicing web browser you could try IBM Home Page Reader.

I only want Accessible RSS, or the BBC Programs, or Podcatcher. I don't want WebbIE! Where are the separate installers?

We do not maintain separate installers because with all the different languages it is too difficult. Our WebbIE 3 installer contains every program. You can select, during installation, any program you do not want to install, and it will not be installed - you won't see it at all.

I want to try WebbIE, but I don't want it to mess up my system. What changes does it make?

None of the programs do more than install necessary components and shortcuts. If you never run them you'll never know they are there. They don't install any services or programs that start up with your computer, and they don't leave anything behind when you uninstall (except your user settings, a few text files.) WebbIE does not become your default web browser automatically, and does not prompt you to make it your default web browser, but it does have a menu option (see Options) if you want it to be the default browser.

Why do you use Microsoft Internet Explorer, not the standards-compliant and Free Mozilla Firefox?

WebbIE uses the Microsoft WebBrowser Control to get pages and provide access to their contents: Mozilla does not provide such an easy-to-use component. We've tried the Mozilla ActiveX control but haven't managed to get it working yet. We use Firefox and would love to do a WebbMoz, but until the programming comoponents are available we cannot. If you are interested in IE alternatives then check out the FireVox extension for Firefox which makes Firefox speak web pages.

I get a strange message during installation and have to restart Windows '98

Windows '98 users may see the following: "The OLE system files are in-use and cannot be updated. The installation must restart Windows to update OLE before it can continue." Don't be concerned: hit "Yes" and Windows will restart and complete the installation.

Is there a Linux or Apple Mac version of WebbIE? Why not?

WebbIE and the Accessible programs are all Windows-only. This is because Alasdair only knows how to code for Windows, so he prioritises supporting and developing software for the vast majority of screenreader users - who use Windows - over spending years retraining for very much minority languages. You are welcome to the source code for WebbIE if you want to port it over.

Linux users may be interested in BLINUX or Emacspeak. Mac users should look at the Accessibility features of the Mac including the built-in VoiceOver screenreader, which works with the Safari web browser.