Re: What is the Web (For Review: Accessibility page for beta.w3.org)

Alan Chuter wrote:
> Under "Why: the Case for..." I think that the phrase "It is essential 
> that the web be accessible" rather glosses over what the Web is and how 
> accessibility might happen. Many people will not understand what the Web 
> is or what has to happen for it to be accessible. On the other hand it 
> wouldn't be a good idea to get into detail so early on in the page. 
> Perhaps it would suffice to explain that at this level the Web consists 
> of "websites and web tools" as mentioned above, but explaining that 
> these components together are what we mean as the Web.

Agree it's best not to go into too much detail up front. If we say "websites and web tools" earlier, perhaps we don't need to repeat it here.

I don't see that we need to define the web here, seems beyond scope to add that complexity. (Also in answer to <http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-eo/2009JulSep/0080.html>)

> Perhaps the words perceivable, operable, understandable and robust would 
> help here.

It's hard to tell whether those words help or not. For those who already know WCAG, this helps, but that's not the primary audience for this page. For those who don't know WCAG, I fear those words are jargony and make it more complicated and complex... but I'm just not sure.

> "The flexibility of the web enables most people..." is not immediately 
> evident to people, I think. Flexibility may be a new concept to many 
> people. It might be clearer as "The web is a flexible medium and so 
> enables most people..."

I'll try "The web is a flexible medium that enables most people..."

> I think it is going to be difficult to convey this message in a short 
> introduction, but it certainly seems to be getting there.
> 
> cheers,
> 
> Alan

Thanks for input, Alan.

~Shawn

Received on Tuesday, 25 August 2009 20:17:23 UTC