HELP

Troubleshooting & Technical Support

Getting the most out of this website is easy; it has been designed to work smoothly across a wide variety of software and hardware platforms. Most users will not need any additional technology to experience all of ummeljimal.org's multimedia content. In addition, each page with media content has an informational section "How to Use this Media," as well as a multimedia help button containing a direct link to the relevant information below.

Browsers

All major desktop web browsers are fully supported. Many mobile devices are also functional, although mobile content development is ongoing. However, support for the oldest versions of browsers is not offered. In particular, ummeljimal.org is no longer compatible with Internet Explorer versions 6, 7, and 8 due to significant security, stability, and standards concerns. Users of older-version browsers are strongly encouraged to upgrade to the latest iteration of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, or Safari.

Languages

The Umm el-Jimal Project is committed to developing and maintaining full English and Arabic versions of this website. In addition, staff are exploring possible options to create additional translations. Users interested in being part of this process are encouraged to review the Get Involved page, then contact the project.

Multimedia

Five types of multimedia are currently available on ummeljimal.org. See below for troubleshooting and technical details for each type.

Interactive Maps

The Timeline and NE Jordan interactive maps utilize Microsoft Seadragon (Deep Zoom) technology. To operate the maps, Microsoft's free Silverlight plugin must be installed. Silverlight is available for browsers on Windows and Mac operating systems, along with Windows Phone, Android, and Symbian mobile platforms. Linux users can access these pages using the free Moonlight plugin. Unfortunately, Apple does not allow Silverlight access for iOS, found on its iPads, iPods, and iPhones.

Media Wall

The media wall content areas of the Artifact Exhibit, Images, and Drawings pages are built using JavaScript, a worldwide web scripting language. However, there is no need to download or install JavaScript. Support for this technology is already included in all modern web browsers for desktop and mobile devices alike. Instead, if one of the media walls will not display properly, make sure your browser preferences are set to enable Javascript.

Photo Slideshows

The slideshows in the Architecture, Inscriptions, Ceramics, and House XVII-XVIII pages are built using JavaScript. However, there is no need to download or install JavaScript. Instead, if the slideshows will not display properly, simply enable Javascript in your browser.

Videos & Video Galleries

All project films on the site are hosted by Vimeo, a popular and globally available noncommercial video website. Pages with single embedded videos, such as the Home page and Media Room, use only HTML and CSS—and thus are compatible with all browsers. Video galleries in Short Films, Oral Histories, Hauran Culture, and Site Conservation are built using JavaScript, which is included in all browsers. If one of the galleries will not display properly, enable Javascript. Note that despite being optimized for web viewing, playing each video requires significant bandwidth. Depending on your connection speed, videos may take some time to load. For Vimeo troubleshooting, check out the site's FAQs.

Virtual Tour

The site's Virtual Tour uses multimedia files based in part on Apple's Quicktime Virtual Reality (QTVR) technology. However, no special software is required to use this content, which is a combination of Adobe Flash, HTML5, and Javascript (enable Javascript). The appropriate technology will load automatically depending on what is appropriate for the user's device and browser. The show does include audio components, the sound for which is controlled through the user's device rather than the QTVR itself.