Re: Keyboard access gap in SVG 1.1

Hi, Rich-

SVG 1.1 predates SVG Tiny 1.2, where the 'focusable' property was 
introduced, along with many other useful features.

The recent SVG 1.1 Second Edition is simply an update of SVG 1.1 which 
incorporates errata to fix ambiguities and mistakes in the spec.

Our understanding of the W3C Process was that you should not add new 
features, because this invalidates the conformance of existing 
implementations.  As tempted as we were, we resisted the urge to add 
features, including 'focusable'.

Instead, we will be adding specific features to SVG 2, which we have now 
begun work on.  Whether 'focusable' specifically is added is not yet 
clear... we may favor something that is derived from HTML5, so it's more 
intuitive for authors who already know HTML5.

In the meantime, nothing stops implementations from adding support for 
desirable SVG Tiny 1.2 features like 'focusable' (I think Opera already 
has it), and you can file bugs today on implementations for those 
specific features.

Regards-
-Doug


On 10/3/11 9:53 AM, Richard Schwerdtfeger wrote:
> Doug, SVG working group members,
>
> Steve Faulkner and I were looking at SVG the other day as I had a
> product team that was considering using it. In our last discussions we
> talked about keyboard access in SVG and how robust it was from what I
> remember from SVG Tiny. Yet, when I looked at SVG 1.1 no focusable
> property exists. Why is that and why is no section provided on
> navigation in SVG?.
>
> http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/
>
> Looking at SVG Tiny 1.2 we have a navigation section and a focusable
> property:
>
> http://www.w3.org/TR/SVGTiny12/interact.html#navigation
>
> So, clearly the SVG working group felt it is important for SVG tiny -
> but not the full SVG spec?

Not a helpful way of phrasing this.  Of course the SVG WG wants SVG to 
be as accessible as possible, which is why we put so much attention on 
features like this in SVG Tiny 1.2.  Please don't insinuate otherwise. 
We are simply trying to follow W3C Process.


> Regards,
>
> Rich
>
>
> Rich Schwerdtfeger
> CTO Accessibility Software Group
>

Received on Monday, 3 October 2011 16:39:17 UTC