Help

Jim Johnson

Frequently Asked Questions: What exactly is in your accent downloads? What if I’m getting an error code and can’t open the files? Can I pay by eCheck? or Credit card? What if I don’t download it in the time allowed? What is a ZIP file? an MP3 file? a PDF file? Where’s your legal mumbo-jumbo? What exactly is in your accent downloads? Our dialect training downloads contain a document (.pdf file) and a number of sound files (.mp3 files). The document describes how to do the accent. Each one is divided into seperate sections under the headings: I. History and Social Context, II. Sound Placement, III. Intonation Pattern, IV. Helpful Hints, V. Sound Substitutions, VI. Alternate Pronunciations, and VII. Additional Practice Material. The “additional material” includes listings of plays that require the accent and a list of films, TV shows and other recordings that might serve as additional listening samples. There is also a listing of all of the sound files included in the download.The first six sound files are recordings of one of our professional dialect coaches leading you through the written information. The largest portion of this will lead you through the specific sound changes required to speak with that accent, leaving you time to repeat after the coach saying key words and practice sentences containing each sound.The rest of the sound files are recordings of real people—native speakers of the accent you’re studying. You’ll hear a list of words and a paragraph that all of them read (this is included in the text), and then the next sound file will be that person in casual conversation. The number of sound files will vary from one dialect to the next, but each download will have at least three recordings of native speakers. Some may include more than 20 tracks. <a href="http://accenthelp.myshopify.com/pages/help">Return to Top</a> Why did I get an error code or can’t open or play the files? There are two main issues that come up: <ol> <li>Occasionally customers get an error message that says something like: ERROR or FILE CORRUPT or COMPRESSED (ZIPPED) FOLDER IS INVALID OR CORRUPT. This almost always occurs when a customer has a “dial-up” or other similar slower connection to the internet (wireless in a coffee shop, for example). What has happened is that the connection is slow enough that occasionally the server perceives that there is NO connection. Some tiny hint of data may not make it onto your computer, so your computer sends you this error message. Simply send us an email (accenthelp.com at gmail.com), and we’ll create a direct link to the file that you need, and send it to you as soon as possible.</li> <li>On occasion a user whose computer is running VISTA for Windows runs into a similar issue: The file names will change when they are “unzipped” on your computer, adding a period and an underline (.) to the beginning of the filenames, making them unreadable on your computer. You will probably get an error message such as “Unable to Recognize File Format.” (Basically your computer thinks the file type is "" instead of “mp3” so your computer is confused.) The problem is that you need to run updates on VISTA—you’re dealing with an “old version” of VISTA. This could even be happening if your computer is brand new! You want to make sure you’ve got your computer set up to do automatic updates: Whether you use Windows Update or Microsoft Update, just go to Windows Update Control Panel and make sure that automatic updating is checked. To view or change your settings, you can also click the Start button, click All Programs, click Windows Update, and then click Change Settings. <a href="http://accenthelp.myshopify.com/pages/help">Return to Top</a></li> </ol> Can I pay by eCheck? or Credit card? We work directly through Paypal. They NEVER give us payment information, such as credit card or bank account numbers. But we do have keys to your house… Paypal has all kinds of ways to pay. Paying through your Paypal account or by any credit card works great. Paypal is so easy these days… The only problem is paying by “eCheck” through Paypal. Paying by eCheck basically means that you’re writing an electronic check to Paypal, who then cashes the check. The problem is that it can take several days for Paypal to clear the check, so you’ll be waiting SEVERAL DAYS for the download. If you have another method of payment, we highly suggest you use it! If eCheck is your only option, be aware that once the eCheck finally clears through Paypal, we’ll have to send you a specially designed link to download the dialect information. Our customers who pay by other methods automatically receive a link to the download, but it expires in just a couple of hours. If your eCheck clears while you’re at a movie, that can make it a little hard for you to download the file from the link you would automatically receive… Don’t fret! Just contact us once it clears and we’ll send you a link. If you pay by eCheck and don’t realize the problem in time, you can just pay for the same item again with a credit card. Let us know you’ve accidentally paid us twice, and we’ll refund your overpayment in full. <a href="http://accenthelp.myshopify.com/pages/help">Return to Top</a> What if I don’t download it in the time allowed? No worries! Just send us an email at accenthelp.com at gmail.com, and we’ll send you a new link. <a href="http://accenthelp.myshopify.com/pages/help">Return to Top</a> What is a ZIP file? an MP3 file? a PDF file? The ZIP file format is one of the most popular forms of compressing data. (ZIP files end with the extension .zip, much like how many documents end with the extension .doc and many sound files end with .mp3. This extension or designation helps your computer to recognize what kind of file it is.) A ZIP file holds one or more files that have been grouped and compressed to reduce their overall size and to bunch them for simpler distribution. It is common for a computer to have a ZIP software program already installed which will automatically open (or “un-zip”) the ZIP files you will download from this website. You can read further about ZIP files on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZIP_%28file_format%29">Wikipedia website</a>. When you download the ZIP file from the AccentHelp website, it is a good idea to choose to SAVE the file to your desktop (rather than choosing to OPEN the file). Once the entire ZIP file is downloaded, you should be able to simply double-click on the ZIP download, and your computer will automatically “un-zip” the files enclosed. If it doesn’t, you most likely do not have a ZIP program loaded on your computer. If you do not already have a ZIP program, some of the most popular ones to download include WinZip for PCs or YemuZip for Macs. You can find free downloads of these and other ZIP programs by searching for ZIP on any search engine (such as <a href="http://www.google.com/">Google</a>). The MP3 file format is a very common format for sound files. You probably have other MP3 files on your computer, which means that you’ll see .mp3 at the end of a file name (much like how many documents end with the extension .doc or .pdf.) This extension or designation helps your computer to recognize what kind of file it is. There are lots of different formats for sound, but we chose to go with MP3 formatting because it is easily readable by many different programs and computers, and it maintains decent sound quality with smaller files. Some people might not choose to save their music in MP3 format because it wouldn’t be the highest quality sound files, but the price they pay for higher quality sound is larger sound files. Since one of our concerns was ease of downloading groupings of up to 30 sound files, some of the sound quality had to be sacrificed. In general, though, you shouldn’t notice big problems with the sound quality of these files due to their formatting. A much more difficult challenge with these recordings is getting quality sound considering the recording limitations that are the nature of collecting dialect recordings… You can read further about MP3 files on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mp3">Wikipedia website</a>. Odds are that you already have the necessary program on your computer for reading and playing these files. They’re compatible with almost all portable music players, and they can be burned to CD for playing elsewhere. If you do not already have a program that plays MP3 files, we recommend a free download of <a href="http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/">iTunes</a>, which works on PCs and Macs. The PDF file format is a very common format for written computer files. You probably have other PDF files on your computer, which means that you’ll see .pdf at the end of a file name (much like how many documents end with the extension .doc and many sound files end with .mp3.) This extension or designation helps your computer to recognize what kind of file it is. PDF stands for “Portable Document Format” and was created by the software firm Adobe. PDF files are generally used to protect the information and to make it readable on any computer. PDF documents can’t be edited in the same way that .doc files can be opened and altered, so it helps to prevent copyright violation. The main reason, though, is to make the file readable on any computer. Documents at Accent Help usually contain a lot of phonetic symbols. If your computer doesn’t contain that specific font, it will come out looking something like: [#,.+^)^,.:0_||]. I don’t want to read that either… You can read further about PDF files on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format">Wikipedia website</a>. Odds are that you already have the necessary Adobe program on your computer for reading these files. If you do not already have this program, you can find a free download of the Adobe Reader program at the <a href="http://www.adobe.com/">Adobe website</a>. <a href="http://accenthelp.myshopify.com/pages/help">Return to Top</a> Where’s your legal mumbo-jumbo? Here’s the junk our lawyer said has to be on the site, even though we don’t really understand what all it’s saying: <a href="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0041/2462/files/useragreement.pdf?1264312959">User Agreement</a> & <a href="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0041/2462/files/privacypolicy.pdf?1264312959">Privacy Policy</a>. Basically, I think they’re saying, “We’re trying to be nice, and you should try to be nice, too.” <a href="http://accenthelp.myshopify.com/pages/help">Return to Top</a> Any problems or questions that aren’t answered here? Contact us at: <a href="mailto:accenthelp.com@gmail.com">AccentHelp.com@gmail.com</a> <a href="http://accenthelp.myshopify.com">HOME</a>

2009-12-29T16:24:07-06:00

help 3706802

2009-12-29T16:24:07-06:00

412462

Help 2010-02-06T00:48:56-06:00 *Frequently Asked Questions:* _*What exactly is in your accent downloads?*_ _*What if I'm getting an error code and can't open the files?*_ _*Can I pay by eCheck? or Credit card?*_ _*What if I don't download it in the time allowed?*_ _*What is a ZIP file? an MP3 file? a PDF file?*_ _*Where's your legal mumbo-jumbo?*_ _*What exactly is in your accent downloads?*_ Our dialect training downloads contain a document (.pdf file) and a number of sound files (.mp3 files). The document describes how to do the accent. Each one is divided into seperate sections under the headings: I. History and Social Context, II. Sound Placement, III. Intonation Pattern, IV. Helpful Hints, V. Sound Substitutions, VI. Alternate Pronunciations, and VII. Additional Practice Material. The "additional material" includes listings of plays that require the accent and a list of films, TV shows and other recordings that might serve as additional listening samples. There is also a listing of all of the sound files included in the download.The first six sound files are recordings of one of our professional dialect coaches leading you through the written information. The largest portion of this will lead you through the specific sound changes required to speak with that accent, leaving you time to repeat after the coach saying key words and practice sentences containing each sound.The rest of the sound files are recordings of real people--native speakers of the accent you're studying. You'll hear a list of words and a paragraph that all of them read (this is included in the text), and then the next sound file will be that person in casual conversation. The number of sound files will vary from one dialect to the next, but each download will have at least three recordings of native speakers. Some may include more than 20 tracks. _*"Return to Top":http://accenthelp.myshopify.com/pages/help*_ _*Why did I get an error code or can't open or play the files?*_ There are two main issues that come up: # Occasionally customers get an error message that says something like: ERROR or FILE CORRUPT or COMPRESSED (ZIPPED) FOLDER IS INVALID OR CORRUPT. This almost always occurs when a customer has a "dial-up" or other similar slower connection to the internet (wireless in a coffee shop, for example). What has happened is that the connection is slow enough that occasionally the server perceives that there is NO connection. Some tiny hint of data may not make it onto your computer, so your computer sends you this error message. Simply send us an email (accenthelp.com at gmail.com), and we'll create a direct link to the file that you need, and send it to you as soon as possible. # On occasion a user whose computer is running VISTA for Windows runs into a similar issue: The file names will change when they are "unzipped" on your computer, adding a period and an underline (._) to the beginning of the filenames, making them unreadable on your computer. You will probably get an error message such as "Unable to Recognize File Format." (Basically your computer thinks the file type is "_" instead of "mp3" so your computer is confused.) The problem is that you need to run updates on VISTA--you're dealing with an "old version" of VISTA. This could even be happening if your computer is brand new! You want to make sure you've got your computer set up to do automatic updates: Whether you use Windows Update or Microsoft Update, just go to Windows Update Control Panel and make sure that automatic updating is checked. To view or change your settings, you can also click the _Start_ button, click _All Programs_, click _Windows Update_, and then click _Change Settings_. _*"Return to Top":http://accenthelp.myshopify.com/pages/help*_ _*Can I pay by eCheck? or Credit card?*_ We work directly through Paypal. They NEVER give us payment information, such as credit card or bank account numbers. But we do have keys to your house... Paypal has all kinds of ways to pay. Paying through your Paypal account or by any credit card works great. Paypal is so easy these days... The only problem is paying by "eCheck" through Paypal. Paying by eCheck basically means that you're writing an electronic check to Paypal, who then cashes the check. The problem is that it can take several days for Paypal to clear the check, so you'll be waiting SEVERAL DAYS for the download. If you have another method of payment, we highly suggest you use it! If eCheck is your only option, be aware that once the eCheck finally clears through Paypal, we'll have to send you a specially designed link to download the dialect information. Our customers who pay by other methods automatically receive a link to the download, but it expires in just a couple of hours. If your eCheck clears while you're at a movie, that can make it a little hard for you to download the file from the link you would automatically receive... Don't fret! Just contact us once it clears and we'll send you a link. If you pay by eCheck and don't realize the problem in time, you can just pay for the same item again with a credit card. Let us know you've accidentally paid us twice, and we'll refund your overpayment in full. _*"Return to Top":http://accenthelp.myshopify.com/pages/help*_ _*What if I don't download it in the time allowed?*_ No worries! Just send us an email at accenthelp.com at gmail.com, and we'll send you a new link. _*"Return to Top":http://accenthelp.myshopify.com/pages/help*_ _*What is a ZIP file? an MP3 file? a PDF file?*_ The ZIP file format is one of the most popular forms of compressing data. (ZIP files end with the extension .zip, much like how many documents end with the extension .doc and many sound files end with .mp3. This extension or designation helps your computer to recognize what kind of file it is.) A ZIP file holds one or more files that have been grouped and compressed to reduce their overall size and to bunch them for simpler distribution. It is common for a computer to have a ZIP software program already installed which will automatically open (or “un-zip”) the ZIP files you will download from this website. You can read further about ZIP files on the "Wikipedia website":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZIP_%28file_format%29. When you download the ZIP file from the AccentHelp website, it is a good idea to choose to SAVE the file to your desktop (rather than choosing to OPEN the file). Once the entire ZIP file is downloaded, you should be able to simply double-click on the ZIP download, and your computer will automatically “un-zip” the files enclosed. If it doesn’t, you most likely do not have a ZIP program loaded on your computer. If you do not already have a ZIP program, some of the most popular ones to download include WinZip for PCs or YemuZip for Macs. You can find free downloads of these and other ZIP programs by searching for ZIP on any search engine (such as "Google":http://www.google.com/). The MP3 file format is a very common format for sound files. You probably have other MP3 files on your computer, which means that you'll see .mp3 at the end of a file name (much like how many documents end with the extension .doc or .pdf.) This extension or designation helps your computer to recognize what kind of file it is. There are lots of different formats for sound, but we chose to go with MP3 formatting because it is easily readable by many different programs and computers, and it maintains decent sound quality with smaller files. Some people might not choose to save their music in MP3 format because it wouldn't be the highest quality sound files, but the price they pay for higher quality sound is larger sound files. Since one of our concerns was ease of downloading groupings of up to 30 sound files, some of the sound quality had to be sacrificed. In general, though, you shouldn't notice big problems with the sound quality of these files due to their formatting. A much more difficult challenge with these recordings is getting quality sound considering the recording limitations that are the nature of collecting dialect recordings... You can read further about MP3 files on the "Wikipedia website":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mp3. Odds are that you already have the necessary program on your computer for reading and playing these files. They're compatible with almost all portable music players, and they can be burned to CD for playing elsewhere. If you do not already have a program that plays MP3 files, we recommend a free download of "iTunes":http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/, which works on PCs and Macs. The PDF file format is a very common format for written computer files. You probably have other PDF files on your computer, which means that you'll see .pdf at the end of a file name (much like how many documents end with the extension .doc and many sound files end with .mp3.) This extension or designation helps your computer to recognize what kind of file it is. PDF stands for "Portable Document Format" and was created by the software firm Adobe. PDF files are generally used to protect the information and to make it readable on any computer. PDF documents can't be edited in the same way that .doc files can be opened and altered, so it helps to prevent copyright violation. The main reason, though, is to make the file readable on any computer. Documents at Accent Help usually contain a lot of phonetic symbols. If your computer doesn't contain that specific font, it will come out looking something like: [#,.+^)^,.:0_||]. I don't want to read that either... You can read further about PDF files on the "Wikipedia website":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format. Odds are that you already have the necessary Adobe program on your computer for reading these files. If you do not already have this program, you can find a free download of the Adobe Reader program at the "Adobe website":http://www.adobe.com/. _*"Return to Top":http://accenthelp.myshopify.com/pages/help*_ _*Where's your legal mumbo-jumbo?*_ Here's the junk our lawyer said has to be on the site, even though we don't really understand what all it's saying: "User Agreement":http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0041/2462/files/useragreement.pdf?1264312959 & "Privacy Policy":http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0041/2462/files/privacypolicy.pdf?1264312959. Basically, I think they're saying, "We're trying to be nice, and you should try to be nice, too." _*"Return to Top":http://accenthelp.myshopify.com/pages/help*_ Any problems or questions that aren't answered here? Contact us at: <a href="mailto:accenthelp.com@gmail.com">AccentHelp.com@gmail.com</a> _*"HOME":http://accenthelp.myshopify.com*_