Re: Linking to binary URLs

>At 12:01 p.m. 10/01/98 +1000, Charles McCathieNevile wrote:
>>But perhaps there should be a guideline about this:
>
>>Guideline: Where a link points to a resource in a 'format which is not a
w3c
>>recommendation (eg pdf, zip, powerpoint etc - what is the position of
>>plain text here?)' then it should be made clear in the text (preferably)
>>of, or (else) near the link what kind of a resource is being pointed to.
>>[p2/3?]
>
>The TYPE attribute should also be used for non-HTML links too.
>
...

Yes I agree with Kynn that where possible hints which can be processed
automatically should be given.  This is in keeping with Tim Berners-Lee's
vision for the web (automating thins which can be automated -  see <URL:
http://www.w3.org/Talks/1998/0415-Evolvability/>

Note that as well as providing a solution in HTML, there has also been talk
of providing a solution in HTTP, using Transparent Content (and Feature)
Negotiation - see <URL: http://www.imc.org/ietf-medfree/>.

Since this standardisation work is taking place within IETF it's not clear
whether accessibility concerns are being addressed.  For example the
Internet Draft on "Media Features for Display, Print, and Fax" available at
<URL: http://www.imc.org/draft-ietf-conneg-media-features> would seem to be
relevant to this group.  The document begins by saying: "This work was
originally motivated by the requirements from web browsers to send the
browser's display characteristics to the web server to allow the server to
choose an appropriate representation."

An issue for the WIAI-PF group I think - sorry Al :-)

Brian

------------------------------------------------------
Brian Kelly, UK Web Focus
UKOLN, University of Bath, BATH, England, BA2 7AY
Email:  b.kelly@ukoln.ac.uk     URL:    http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/
Homepage: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/ukoln/staff/b.kelly.html
Phone:  01225 323943            FAX:   01225 826838

Received on Friday, 2 October 1998 04:33:18 UTC