[vcf-midatlantic] Semi-OT: skype help for museum tablet

[Evan Koblentz]

As we discussed here a few weeks ago: I'm trying to put a Skype "call 
us" button on a web page, so that our museum docents can be elsewhere on 
the Infoage campus and have visitors easily reach them (all docents have 
to do is log into the Skype app on their phones using the museum 
account). It would be slick if it worked: visitors walk up to our 
wall-mounted tablet, touch one icon, and get put into a live conversation.

I found two ways to create Skype call-me buttons. One way is documented 
on their site using a script, like this:

<script type="text/javascript" 
src="https://secure.skypeassets.com/i/scom/js/skype-uri.js"></script>
<div id="SkypeButton_Call_username">
  <script type="text/javascript">
  Skype.ui({
  "name": "call",
  "element": "SkypeButton_Call_username",
  "participants": ["username"]
  });
  </script>
</div>

The other way, according to various web sites, is to just do this:

<a href="skype:username?call">Call us</a>

I tried both ways. It always rings three times and then says "call failed".

Then I tried it with my personal Skype account and it worked fine.

I tried with another Skype account and it also worked fine.

The difference: my account and the other one I tried are both standard 
Skype usernames, whereas the museum account is an @vcfed.org email 
address associated with a Microsoft account. If you're a new user, then 
Skype.com forces you to do it that way.  I don't see any way on 
Skype.com to make a new account using the traditional method (just a 
username).

So: how do I make this work? Do I need to change anything in the markup?

________________________________
Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

evan at vcfed.org
(646) 546-9999

www.vcfed.org
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