ISSUE-187 - some thoughts on using javascript

During yesterday's call either my poor command of the English language 
or the equally poor service of Skype caused me not to make any sense on 
this issue, so I'll do it by e-mail.

After having put some thought in it, I am not in favour of using 
JavaScript for granting exceptions/permissions for overriding DNT:1 and 
for several reasons:

Consistency:

- The general expression is already done through HTTP headers, so why 
not have specific expression through HTTP too?
- Presentation to the user will be site-specific, which does not 
provide a consistent user experience.

Accessibility:

- It puts more of a burden for sites who implement DNT to retain 
accessibility (e.g. ADA-requirements) while the UA can take care of this 
in one go anyway. Smoothness of a few implemenations compared to 
thousands.

User control:

- It will be much harder for users to automate responses to requests 
for exceptions/permissions that use a Turing-complete language and will 
therefore come in all forms and shapes.

So basically, I would prefer to have this done at the HTTP and not the 
HTML level. If we insist on using JavaScript/ECMAscript then I would 
prefer the standard to contain normative language for mandatory 
identifiers for such requests that make them machine-recognisable (my 
use of the term machine-readable during yesterday's call was in error 
and caused confusion) and allow for automated responses.

Regards,

  Walter

Received on Thursday, 8 November 2012 16:59:32 UTC