RE: added note warning about use of placeholder as a label

Looks good, though there's two notes there- one says should not be used, the other just warns about using it. Maybe combine them?  Also, maybe spell out why it's a problem. Just a thought.
--- old
Note: Use of the placeholder <http://www.w3.org/html/wg/drafts/html/master/forms.html#attr-input-placeholder> attribute as a replacement for a label<http://www.w3.org/html/wg/drafts/html/master/forms.html#the-label-element> can reduce the accessibility and usability of the control for a range of users including older users and users with cognitive, mobility or vision impairments.
The placeholder<http://www.w3.org/html/wg/drafts/html/master/forms.html#attr-input-placeholder> attribute should not be used as a replacement for a label<http://www.w3.org/html/wg/drafts/html/master/forms.html#the-label-element>. For a longer hint or other advisory text, place the text next to the control.
--- suggestion
Note: The placeholder<http://www.w3.org/html/wg/drafts/html/master/forms.html#attr-input-placeholder> attribute should not be used as a replacement for a label<http://www.w3.org/html/wg/drafts/html/master/forms.html#the-label-element> because the placeholder text disappears when the field gets focus. This can reduce accessibility and usability of the input control for users who view documents using screen readers or other assistive technology, or need a little more time to see a prompt.
For a longer hint or other advisory text, place the text next to the control.



From: Steve Faulkner [mailto:faulkner.steve@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2013 3:06 PM
To: HTMLWG WG
Cc: HTML Accessibility Task Force
Subject: added note warning about use of placeholder as a label

Hi all,

after recent discussion on list [1] I made some changes [2] in the 5.1 spec [3] to warn that use of placeholder as a label can reduce accessibility and usability
Note: Use of the placeholder <http://www.w3.org/html/wg/drafts/html/master/forms.html#attr-input-placeholder> attribute as a replacement for a label<http://www.w3.org/html/wg/drafts/html/master/forms.html#the-label-element> can reduce the accessibility and usability of the control for a range of users including
older users and users with cognitive, mobility or vision impairments.

I also removed recommendation about using the title attribute for a longer hint advising instead to place it as text next to the control.

Please review at your leisure, feedback welcome and appreciated.


[1] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2013Feb/0164.html
[2] https://github.com/w3c/html/commit/247c0c041dfdb7b9a760969872d35025cd6d90da
[3] http://www.w3.org/html/wg/drafts/html/master/forms.html#the-placeholder-attribute

--
with regards

Steve Faulkner
Technical Director - TPG

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