Simple User Guide for Visitors & Members
Welcome to the Integral Studies Portal! This site allows you to read, listen to, and search through transcripts of talks by Sraddhalu Ranade from IntegralStudies YouTube channel. This guide explains all the features of the website and how to use them. All the features are accessible on both desktop or mobile versions of the portal.
1. Guest Visitor Features (No Sign-In Required)
You do not need to sign in to read transcripts, listen to audio, or search the site. Anyone can use the features below right away:
Finding a Talk to Read
- Main Home Page: When you open the website, you will see panels showing main collection topics such as Evenings with Sraddhalu hosted by Narad, Special Themes, or Talks. Click on any panel to see the full list of talks on the left side menu bar. Click on a talk title to open it.
- Left Menu Bar (Sidebar): On the left side of your screen, there is a list of topics. Clicking on a topic title expands it to show the list of lectures inside.
- Sorting Talks: By default the talks are ranked by newness (most recent talk at the top). You can change the sort order by using the drop-down menu at the top of the left menu bar.
Listening While You Read
- Audio & Video Player: On the right side of the transcript (or at the top on mobile phones), there is an audio/video player for the talk.
- Clicking Timestamps to Play: Next to every paragraph, you will see a small time stamp like [05:20]. Clicking on any timestamp will automatically start playing the audio at that exact minute of the talk.
Searching for Words or Topics
- Search Bar: This site offers AI based search and summarisation features. You can ask it questions like “What was the relationship between Tesla and Swami Vivekananda” or you can simply search by a keyword or a phrase such as “Tesla” or “Tesla and Vivekananda”. At the top left of the page, there is a search bar with a magnifying glass. Type your search term in it and press Enter. Note that the results are AI generated and may be prone to inaccuracies.
- Search Results: Click on any search result to jump straight to that sentence in the transcript.
Translations / Language Support
Translation Dropdown: Available in the top bar above the transcript. You can select another language (such as French, German, Spanish, or Hindi) to translate the transcripts. Note that the translations are AI generated and can be error prone.
2. Signed-In Member Features (Free Account)
The Sign In section is at the top right of the screen. Once you click it, if you have a Google / Gmail ID, use the “Continue with Google” option at the top, which is the easiest option. Alternately you can create a free account and sign in. Signed-in users get access to extra personal features:
- Your Account Dashboard (/console): Click Account or Sign In at the top right of the screen. Once signed in, clicking Dashboard opens your personal account page.
- Saved Reading History: The website automatically remembers which transcripts you have read. Open your Dashboard at any time to see your reading history and click to pick up where you left off.
- Reporting Typos or Errors: If you notice a spelling mistake or typo while reading a transcript, click the Report Error / Suggest Correction button on the page. Enter the correct text and click send to let our team review it.
- Leaving Comments: At the bottom of every transcript, signed-in members can type a comment or reflection and click Post Comment to share thoughts with other readers.
- Receiving Email Updates: Look for the Subscribe to Updates box in the left menu. Enter your email address to receive occasional email notifications when new talks are added to the library.
- Changing Your Password: You can change your password at any time by opening your Dashboard (/console) and scrolling down to the Account Security section.
3. Quick Feature Comparison Table
| Feature / Capability | Guest Visitor | Signed-In Member |
|---|---|---|
| Browse & Read Transcripts | Yes | Yes |
| Listen to Audio & Click Timestamps | Yes | Yes |
| Search Words Across All Talks | Yes | Yes |
| Translations | Yes | Yes |
| Saved Reading History (/console) | No | Yes |
| Report Corrections or post comments | No | Yes |
| Email Subscription Updates | No | Yes |
| Personal Account Dashboard | No | Yes |