Re: the emperor's clothes (or lack thereof)

At 03:16 PM 2001-09-10 , gregory j. rosmaita wrote:
>
>GJR: which is the point of public review - wasn't kelly's concern adequately
>addressed via the response archived at (long URI warning):
><http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-gl/2001JulSep/0843>http://lis
ts.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-gl/2001JulSep/0843

AG::

True confessions, when I read the two assertions up front:

- this is technology-specific
- it's basically in there

both of which I felt were a) important and b) untrue, I stopped reading.

Yes, the edit in that post eliminates the chance to say "nowhere can I
find..."  

But it's not an adequate response because the rewrite still hides a major
point
as if it were minor.

The injunction to "label form controls" is not only not
technology-specific, it
is just-right abstraction.  It is abstract because it applies to interactive
widgets found in web media from left and right.  It is appropriately focused
because form controls have their own class-specific requirements and
problems. 
Talking about labels in general is diffuse and weak.  Talking about the
requirement to have labels for form controls is important to say because that
is so often where the process breaks down, and tends to break irreparably.

The generalized discussion of "use structure and labels ..." misses the
essential before:after relationship that is at the heart of this rule.  Use
labels that let the user know before they activate the control what will
happen
after they activate the control.  This is the essence inherited from the ten
commandments of UI usability.  And the time separation or sequence is
essential
to capturing what is required.

That is why I felt I should come back and reiterate the flow of reasoning I
felt had been mostly missed, while it is essential to getting across this
critical injunction for web accessibility.

It's not just a "for instance" of "use labels."  It's a "for instance" of
"give
advance warning" as well.  Of course it is a example of both of those.  But it
is the second which lends it its proper importance.  Which is, like, at the
head of the class.

Al

Received on Monday, 10 September 2001 20:57:24 UTC