text-only versions (was deprecate tables)

At the moment the WAI guidelines suggest that if you use complex 
java-, script- or table-based layouts you need to provide an alternative, 
text-only version.

RMIT University developed a Java version of their front page, and by some 
miracle were persuaded to have a non-java version as well. In fact the 
non-java is the default, with the option for java. Apparently (so says 
the webmaster but I have no figures) the Java version is almost never 
visited. I believe that frames (the most useful of all the design 
elements which cause accessibilty problems) elicit a similar response. 

So perhaps we should suggest that if you want to use tablebased layout it 
should be your secondary (rather than your primary) version - that your 
front page should be without them, providing an equal front door to all 
users, and then you can offer people the choice of visual pages or 
universal pages.

Charles McCN

Received on Saturday, 22 August 1998 22:16:15 UTC